


our fairy tale

by synically



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst, Choi Beomgyu-Centric, Context Clues, Detail-Oriented, Inspired by Novel, Kang Taehyun-Centric, M/M, Minor Character Death, Plot Twists, actually this seems more like a novel adaptation, beomjun if you squint, kinda detail oriented so you have to connect the dots, one sided sookai, sookai if you think enough, yeonjun only pops up some times
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 20
Words: 95,700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23118697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/synically/pseuds/synically
Summary: In the forest primevalA school for good and evilTwo towers like twin headsOne for the pureOne for the wickedTry to escape you'll always failThe only way out isThrough a fairy tale~Beomgyu always dreamed of his own fairy tale.Taehyun only wanted to be with his only friend.When fate messes up and magic messes their head, they'd have to choose only one happy ever after.But for which of them?As the night draw near, and as they lose track of time, both of them made a wish. That one day from now, they'd still be in the company of the other. Wherever that was.completed // 031320 - 062520
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Choi Soobin, Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun, Choi Soobin/Kang Taehyun
Comments: 230
Kudos: 164





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> hello! so it's been a long time since i ever wrote something like this. i was staring at my books when this idea came to mind and never left. so i decided writing, i guess?
> 
> pardon me for any mistakes ^^;

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> original tag:  
> Choi Beomgyu/Kang Taehyun
> 
> main characters:  
> Choi Yeonjun  
> Choi Soobin  
> Choi Beomgyu  
> Kang Taehyun  
> Hueningkai

Beomgyu has always been the prettiest in town: brown orbs, pointed nose, plump lips, a sculpted face. Boys and girls would definitely envy his features if circumstances were _. . . normal_.

He's always dreamed of a happy ever after. Not in his wretched town, but in a castle faraway; standing upon crowds of people worshipping him, wearing a dashing suit, a gleaming crown on his head, with his queen, or _king_ , holding his hand as the kingdom celebrates their new rulers. Gowns and suits and ballroom dance underneath chandeliers, tons of servants and princes and princesses dancing on his sides, as he stares at his lover: _gray eyes and grayish blue hair_ , with lips aching to be claimed by him . . . until a hammer broke through the walls of his dream and his eyes open to morning.

"Father, what are you doing?"

"Everyone's been saying that you'll be taken this year," his father said as he nails a piece of wood over his bedroom window, "I don't know why they think it'll be you, but nobody's getting in here tonight, that's for sure." His father looked at him with an unreadable expression on his face, "Maybe we should shave your head or muddy up your face, just to be really certain."

Beomgyu rolls his eyes at his father's anxious statements, "I wonder why nobody thought that locking their children in their rooms would work. Oh right, 'coz maybe it doesn't. Really, father? I thought you said this is all a hoax."

"Hoax or not, I'm not going to just sit here and wait for _some beast to take you away_."

~

Beomgyu walked along the path to his bestfriend's house. His bestfriend lived in a cemetery, for reasons he can't really understand. _At least there's one less people out of the competition_. He passed by dozens of cottages, with doors and windows boarded up with blocks of wood, and children reading storybooks as their parents carry an expression not far from fear and panic. He still didn't understand _why_ their townspeople would be afraid of something _magical_. So instead of worrying over something trivial, he focuses on counting his good deeds.

He thought of his donation of facial wash and deodorant to the town's orphanage, as "proper skin care is a good deed"; he thought of teaching self-defense to physically disabled kids, as "they should learn to be independent". No one is doing it like him, but he wonders if that would be enough to catch the _school_ 's attenti-

"Where are you going?"

He turned to see a smiling Jeongin. _He's got looks, but not that good so another one off the list._ "To see a friend." he answered.

"The witch? Why are you even friends with him?"

"He's not a witch."

"He has no friends, and he's queer. That makes him a witch."

_Then you're a witch too_ , he thought, but he brushed it off as he reminded himself that enduring Jeongin's presence is a good deed, and smiled instead.

"The _S_ _chool Master_ will take him to _evil school_ , and then you'll need a new friend."

"The School Master takes two children." Beomgyu said, jaws tightening.

"He'll take Wooyoung for the other one. No one's as good as him." Beomgyu's smile disappeared. "But I'll be your new friend." Jeongin added.

"My friendlist is full, come back another day." he deadpans as he saw the hurt in Jeongin's features as the latter awkwardly waved goodbye and left, cheeks and ears red from embarrassment.

Beomgyu facepalms himself, why does he acted that way _now_ of all days that he could've pretend to be nice. He knows that the school master will be judging his every move, but surely he would understand that only villains will associate themselves with someone like Jeongin.

A few more steps and he reached his friend's house, it was on top of a small hill and surrounded with molded headstones. His pastel shirt and light-colored jeans an obvious contrast to the dull and dark environment. He ignored the reeking smell of garlic and headless birds as he knocks on the door and prepares for a fight.

"Go away." small gruff voice said.

"Is that how you talk to your best friend?" Beomgyu coos.

"You're not my best friend."

"Who is it then?"

"It's none of your business."

Beomgyu takes a deep breath, not letting his temper rise like he did with Jeongin. "Oh come on! We had fun yesterday, don't you want to do it again Taehyun?"

"I almost got my bum set on fire after you accidentally kicked the ball to a torch."

"But it didn't and it was an acciden-"

"And you always make me do tiring stuff. Can't you find another person to play fight with?"

"Isn't that what friends are for? To help each other? I'm helping you become physically fit you know."

"I'll never be as good as you."

Beomgyu thought of something nice to say, but took too long as he hears footsteps stomp away from the closed door. "That doesn't mean we can't be friends!" he called, but as soon as he did so, a familiar cat, bald and wrinkly, growled at him from across the porch. "C'mon Hyun, I brought ice cream."

The footsteps stop. "Mint chocolate again?"

"You know I hate that."

"You know I hate it too but you force me to eat it."

The cat hissed.

"Hyunnie, let me in-"

"You'll say I stink."

"You don't stink."

"Then why'd you say it last time?"

"Because you stink last time! Taehyun the cat's spitting-"

"Maybe it smells ulterior motives."

The cat bare claws.

"Taehyun open the door!" Beomgyu screamed as the cat pounces at him, but a hand stabbed between them and swatted the cat down.

"Hobak ran out of birds." Taehyun said. Black hair in a mess, worn out black shirt and shorts, pale skin and thin figure. Bored eyes looking at Beomgyu's shining ones.

"I thought we'd go for a walk!" Beomgyu beams.

Taehyun leaned on the door frame, frowning with arms crossed in front of his chest, "I'm still wondering why you're friends with me."

"Because you're sweet and funny."

"Mother says I'm bitter and grumpy. So one of you is lying." He reached for the plastic bag in Beomgyu's hand and took a peek inside, mint chocolate ice cream glaring at him. He glanced at Beomgyu's face, the other's expression trying hard not to laugh.

"Really? Goodbye Beomgyu." Taehyun rolls his eyes as he retreated back inside.

"No wait! I was just kidding. Let's take a walk and I'll buy new ice cream. Please?"

Taehyun was about to close the door when he saw Beomgyu's crestfallen face, he looks like a puppy not given treats. As if he looked forward to walking with him as much as he did. He sighs, "A short one. But if you say anything smug or stuck-up or shallow, I'll have Hobak follow you home."

"Then I can't talk!"

~

Walking through the town's square, they could see desperation in the residents; as they sharpen swords, set up traps, plotted guarding patterns; beautiful children were turn ugly, and homely ones were beautified. Children were locked, chained, or hidden; a homeless hag shouting to burn the storybooks as no one listens. It was all a mess, especially for Taehyun.

"How can the whole town believe in fairy tales?" Taehyun says as he finishes off his strawberry ice cream.

"Because they're real." Beomgyu shrugs.

"You actually believe that?"

"Of course I do. You know I'm destined to be a prince."

Taehyun rolls his eyes. "So a School Master kidnaps two children, takes them to a school where one learns Good and the other learns Evil, and they graduate into fairy tales. Is that it?"

"Sounds about right."

"Yeah, and I'm actually a performer who dance and sing about cats and dogs when I got kidnapped to be here before my world tour."

Beomgyu glares at Taehyun's statement, "You know for someone who doesn't believe in fairy tales, you sure have a lot stacked by your bed. And how would you explain the missing children that's in the drawings? Jack, Rose, they all have their own tales."

"The books are not real Gyu. Maybe it's the bookseller's prank, or the elders', to keep children away from the woods. There's no ' _S_ _chool Master_ '".

"Who's kidnapping the children then?"

"No one. It could be that every four years, two idiots sneak into the woods and get lost or eaten by wolves, then boom. The legend of the school master continues."

"That's the stupidest explanation I've ever heard."

"I'm not the stupid one here."

Beomgyu was getting annoyed. "You're just scared."

Taehyun laughs, "Why would I be?"

"Because you're coming with me."

Taehyun stopped laughing. He glances at the children in the square, they were staring at them as if they were the answer to their prayers. One for Good, the other for Evil. The School Master's perfect pair.

Taehyun stood frozen, and as he watched dozens of eyes boring into him, he thought of wanting to spend the next day walking around peacefully with Beomgyu. Next to him, Beomgyu watched them memorize his face in case it appears in the storybooks one day, thinking that they wouldn't look at Wooyoung the same way as the said boy is hunched beside the others: head shaved, face muddy, and clothes ragged. _The School Master would never take him, he's nothing._

"Can we go?" Taehyun asked.

"Where?"

"Away from people."

~

"So Wooyoung wants to stay here, huh?" Beomgyu spoke through the silence as they watch the sunset.

"Why would anyone want to leave their family forever?" Taehyun snorts.

"Rude."

They fell silent.

"Ever wonder where your father went?"

"I told you, he left after I was born."

"But think about it. We're surrounded by woods, don't you think he may have found a magic portal or something? What if he's waiting for you on the other side? That would be kinda cool." Beomgyu exclaims, excited by the thought.

"Or maybe he went back to his wife, pretending I didn't exist, and died yesterday after slipping into a rock. I don't care."

Beomgyu went silent again.

"Your mother's never at home whenever I visit."

"She goes into town now. It's a better location than the house." Taehyun said.

"Graveyards are not really that comfortable." Beomgyu giggles.

"It has its benefits. No noisy and nosy neighbors. No roaming salesman asking you to buy a product you don't need. No fishy 'friends' bringing balls and mint chocolate ice cream, telling you you're going to Evil school in Magic Fairy Land."

"So I'm fishy now?" Beomgyu asked, faking being offended.

"I was perfectly fine alone. Why would you even show up?" Taehyun questions.

"You always let me in though."

"Because you seem so lonely and I feel sorry for you."

"Excuse me? You're lucky someone befriended you when no one will. You're lucky I'm a good person and that someone like me would be your friend."

"I knew it!" Taehyun stood up. "I'm your _Good Deed_! Just a mere pawn in your stupid fantasy."

For the third time, Beomgyu went silent.

"Okay maybe at first, but there's more to it now." Beomgyu confesses.

"Because I found you out." Taehyun grumbled.

"Because I like you. No one understands me here." Beomgyu grabs Taehyun's hand and pulls him to sit next to him again, "But you do. You see who I am, that's why I keep coming back. I don't treat you as a good deed anymore, Hyunnie. You're my friend."

Taehyun flushes red.

"What's wrong?" Beomgyu frowned, concern evident on his face.

"It's just- I'm not- I'm not used to having- friends . . . " Taehyun looks down as if he's ashamed.

Beomgyu smiled and tightened his grip on Taehyun's hand. "We'll be friends at our new school, don't worry. They teach you how to become wicked witches and humpbacked trolls at the School for Evil. Also how to lay curses and cast evil spells! Don't you think it's cool?"

"Evil spells? Did a 4-year old made that up?" Taehyun frowned as he pulled his hand away from Beomgyu's. "And let's say I do believe all this, but why am I in villain school? Why does everyone think I'm the evil boss or something?"

"No one says you're evil Hyun. It's just that, you're different."

"How am I different?" he narrows his eyes.

"For starters, you only wear black."

"It doesn't get dirty."

"You don't ever leave your house."

"People don't look at me there."

"You wrote that Cinderella tripped on her way down the stairs and crashed headfirst to her carriage for the Create-A-Tale competition."

"It was more realistic though."

"You gave me a dead parrot for my birthday!"

"To remind you that we all die so we should enjoy our birthdays while we have them! I was being thoughtful."

"Taehyun, you dressed up as groom for halloween."

"Weddings are scary."

Beomgyu gaped at him.

"Okay so maybe I'm different. But so what?"

"Different usually turns out evil in fairy tales . . . " Beomgyu said with hesitation.

They fell silent again.

Until Taehyun reached for Beomgyu's hand, and softly said "Why do you want to leave here so badly? To the point that you'd believe in stories you know that aren't true."

"Because I can't live here. I can't live an ordinary life." Beomgyu sighs, tides of doubt entering his system.

"Funny. That's why I like you."

Beomgyu smiled, "Because you can't either?"

"Because you make me feel ordinary. And that's the only thing I've ever wanted."

As the night draw near, and as they lose track of time, both of them made a wish. That one day from now, they'd still be in the company of the other. Wherever that was.

~

By the time the night settles in, children were being locked away. Family members carry torches and lined around the dark forest, daring the School Master to cross their ring of fire.

For 200 years, 2 children disappear every 4 years. One beautiful and good, the other homely and odd. Naturally, the villagers blamed bears, but no one had ever seen a bear in Ttukseom. They thought of being more specific, a black bear, one that could easily blend in with the night. Then burrowing bears, or phantom bears, or bears in disguise . . . until realizing, in all ridiculousness, that it wasn't bears at all. While adults spawned more stupid theories, children found something suspicious in the storybooks: the kidnapped children, characters of the fairy tales they read. One hero, one villain.

The books all came from Mr. Bang's shop. They started questioning Mr. Bang on who sent the books, but he stated that he hadn't got the faintest idea. Through further investigation, they noticed something more: the villages in the stories all look like Ttukseom. Every detail, from the dirt roads to the sidewalks, to the buildings.

And the endless woods surrounding the town, in which they would try to storm through, only to be repelled back or the end up back in their village.

The start and the end.

The woods didn't seem like it wanted to return their children though, and they found out why when Mr. Bang saw a seal in the box where the storybooks are;

a seal with an elaborate crest of a black swan and a white swan,

and three letters: **S.G.E**.

The School For Good and Evil.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm not supposed to be here!"

Taehyun jolted awake from his slumber, his cat Hobak curled on his side. He feels uneasy although he can’t pinpoint why. He glances at his bedroom’s window, catching sight of a guard 10 times bigger than him, the said guard keeping himself awake by lifting broken headstones as if it were barbells. He went to his kitchen, greeting his mother that was packing him a bag of biscuits.

“If you badly want to go to that school, you should’ve just _said_ so.” He grumbled as he grabbed a piece. He knows what his mother is thinking, yet he refuse to think _it would be him._

“Oh come on dear, I’ve always dreamt to be a witch. If the school master hasn’t picked Tremaine, Ella wouldn’t even survive in that household.”

“Yet he did and here you are, with the whole town thinking you’re a witch doctor or something. You still got what you wanted. And it’s your dream not mine.”

“And what is your dream? To wait for Beomgyu everyday so that he could walk you like a dog?” Taehyun glared at her. “At least he’s being _realistic_. So be a bad boy and fulfill mommy’s wishes, hm?”

Taehyun was about to retort when he notices a pair of gray eyes looking at him from the woods. The big guard unconscious over the headstone and torch extinguished. Creeping away from the body was a human shadow, no body attached. It floated in the sea of graves as if it was strolling before it slid under the cemetery gates and towards the town square.

_He’s real. Whoever he is._

Taehyun sighed in relief, _he doesn’t want me._ Before a fresh wave of panic hit his system.

_Beomgyu._

~

Beomgyu couldn’t sleep. To say that he was excited was an understatement. He has dreamed of his own tales and he has always wished to be taken away by the school master. He had always waited for this day to come, and he couldn’t sleep.

He heard rushing sounds behind his door, frantic knocking begging him to open up.

To a panicking Taehyun.

“What are you-“ before he could even finish his sentence, Taehyun tackled him and covered his mouth, as if _he_ would find out where they are if Beomgyu speak, kicking the door to a close.

Beomgyu was confused to say the least, until it occurred to him.

“You saw him didn’t you? Let me go Taehyun, I’m going to meet him!” he mumbled underneath the other’s hold as he struggled to get free.

“No! Shut up! You’re not meeting anyone.” Taehyun fights back as he desperately keep Beomgyu in his grip.

But Beomgyu was stronger than him. He managed to break free from Taehyun as he locks the other’s arms behind his back, the latter being unable to move. “Beomgyu sto-“

THUMP! THUMP!

They turn their heads toward the door.

THUMP! THUMP!

The barricades on Beomgyu’s window starts to shake, nails loosening and wood cracking. The locks popping off like soda cans. Something else rumbles.

“He could just knock, right?” Beomgyu dumbly states.

The door flew open, almost breaking it off the frame. Beomgyu’s father was standing behind it, skin as white as paper as he held a torch, “I saw something.”

“There!” Taehyun shouted at a crooked shadow on the wall. Beomgyu’s father swiveled the torch but the shadow blew its flames. A cold gust of wind enveloped him as the arms holding him was being unfelt.

He managed to make out the father laying unconscious on the bedroom floor.

And Beomgyu was gone.

He heard screams outside. He saw the villagers chasing after the shadow that drags the boy towards the woods. Taehyun lunged himself out the window and ran after him. But just as the villagers reached Beomgyu, their torches magically exploded and trapped them in rings of fire. Taehyun maneuvers quickly over the obstacles of fire-caught wood and sticks and dashed to his friend before he disappeared into the woods.

On the other hand, Beomgyu was watching the flames grew higher and higher, a smile forming in his lips as he’s sure no one would be able to follow them. He mentally says goodbye to the boring Jeongin, the goody-two-shoes Wooyoung, his dull ordinary life, his- Taehyun. He glances at the shadow, _but where’s the other? Where is the one for evil?_ Maybe he was wrong with Taehyun all along.

Until he saw Taehyun running after him.

“Taehyun, no!” he screamed as Taehyun leapt on him and the both of them were dragged into darkness. The flames from the village immediately extinguished and replaced by thick trees and thorns, locking them out.

It was too late.

“What the hell are you doing!” Beomgyu growled at Taehyun as he moved to tackle the younger, the shadow pulling them deeper in the woods. “I swear to god Taehyun, if you ruin everything-“ Beomgyu managed to grasp the other’s arm and Taehyun bit him. “Oh you’re asking for it!”

Before Beomgyu was able to grab Taehyun again, they were already off the ground, until they felt themselves plunge into water. The shadow was gone.

“We’re going home right now.” Taehyun said as he grabs Beomgyu’s arm.

Beomgyu was about to withdraw his hand and shout a retort when they noticed that they were being pulled underwater. He grabbed unto Taehyun and the latter did the same as they both gasped for air and let themselves be pulled.

They never ran out of breath as they realized that they were pulled into some sort of portal under the waters. They looked around; one hoping for a sign of home, the other hoping for a sign of school. As the forest clears up and the sky comes unto view, they saw it.

“Taehyun . . .”

Taehyun was frozen in place.

“It’s _real._ ”

In front of them, two soaring castles stood proud near the clearing. One castle glimmered in the sun, pink and blue glass windows and marble pillars over a sparkling lake. The other loomed, black and dull with sharp spires ripping through thunderclouds.

The two of them look between each other, Beomgyu with a huge smile on his face while Taehyun scrunches a deep frown. Beomgyu was going to say something when they were once again hurled into the air, with what seemed like birds and carried them towards the school.

As the bird drifted over the Towers of Good, it loosens Beomgyu on its claws. Taehyun hold onto him in horror, but Beomgyu’s face was glowing with happiness.

“I’m going to be a prince, Hyunnie.”

But the bird dropped Taehyun instead.

Beomgyu was stunned as he watches Taehyun plummet into cotton candy mist. “Wait- no- I’m the _good_ one!” he screamed before he was dropped into a foul-smelling moat underneath the Towers of Evil.

“What the heck-“ Beomgyu croaked as he rested on the shores of the moat, slime coating his light pants, pastel shirt disheveled, and maybe a few earthworms on his hair. “Calm down Beomgyu, maybe this is a challenge of some sort. An initiation ritual. You are not evi-“ his monologue was interrupted when he saw figures dropping from the sky like rain. _No, that’s not rain. That’s-_

Beasts of different sizes plunged into the moat, some are even humanlike figures. They jump into a cannonball as if it was a pool party, before swimming towards him at the shore.

“Move!” he was shoved to the side by an ugly troll.

He shifted to the side. _This is a mistake. I don’t belong with these freaks. I’ll wait here ‘til someone from the other side come and get me._

He sat there for minutes staring dumbly at the _villains_ hoarding their things from the moat when a voice cuts his attention.

“Ya look dumb there, kid. If I were ya, I’d just follow whatever the hell they ask.”

He looks over only to see a boy a few years older than him, a prominent scar on his left cheek, right arm filled with tattoos, a built body carrying his large bag of things. He looks a bit innocent with his big round doe eyes to be around hideous beasts.

“I’m not supposed to be here. I was supposed to be _there._ ” Beomgyu pointed across the fog.

“Hate to break it to ya, but I’m not supposed to be here _at all_. So suck it up or else those wolves and hags will drag ya pretty face in places ya don’t want to be.”

Beomgyu sighs, stood up, and followed the stranger who approached him. _Weird, isn’t he supposed to be evil? Why is he helping me?_

He glances at the entryway of the castle.

**School for Edification and Propagation of Sin**

The towers look intimidating to him, it was a dark castle with black stone walls and pillars, gargoyles lit with flames on their mouths, spires looking like blood drips hanging on the ceilings. The walls were decorated with portraits of villains in every storybook; some triumphant in their stories, most are not. He also notices the letters N-E-V-E-R in between tall pillars that seems to lead to the towers. Looking around, Beomgyu took to mind the features of the villains surrounding him: pointed nose, horns, extra eyes, warts and burns. _I don’t belong here._ Until he noticed their eyes piercing through him.

Of course, why wouldn’t they. A pretty lad clad in pastel and light colored clothing and princely blond hair among them, skin soft and clean. Surely anyone would notice.

“Looks like we got ourselves a little prince here, eh?” he noticed two almost good-looking guys, approached him. “You sure you aren’t lost? _Evers_ are usually dumb so it’s no surprise.” One of them said, he has this huge scar on one side of his face, grazing over his whitened eye.

“I’m just as confused as you are. Is there any way I could like, talk to the school master or something?” he asked, gazing at the huge wolves guarding them at the sides, standing on two feet menacingly. “Maybe I could ask them?”

“If you think it’s a good idea.” The other smugly said. He was a lot taller than the other one, eyes red and lip pierced and various scars across his face.

“But what am I-“ he was cut off when the guy from earlier spoke.

“If ya still gonna ask about ya goody pink and sparkles fairy mayhem, Bangchan and San can’t help ya. Neither can I, neither can anybody here.” He stood in front of him, towering over his smaller figure. “I’m going to be the best villain, so if ya think it’s a mistake, then get the hell out of here. But if ya get in my way, I’ll personally and gladly throw ya to that barf of rainbow garbage.” His arm tattoo started glowing red before he turned and trudged over to the front of the line.

“Don’t mind him. Despite being here, he’s actually kinda nice. Unlike the other weirdos.” the one with the huge scar said, “Name’s Bangchan. I know it’s unusual for ‘villains’ to be like this,” he gestures to himself and to the other, “but we exist. Handsome villains, nice villains…” he smiled, seemingly friendly. But Beomgyu ain’t buying it, he knows a façade when he sees one. “He’s San, and the one earlier is Jungkook.”

Beomgyu mentally noted their names. He thought that it might be useful once all is fixed and he is where he belongs. Besides, he got to keep _enemies_ close if he wants to use them to his advantage.

“Beomgyu.” He introduced, smiling a little so the others could see that _he is good._

Before any one of them could speak again, they were pushed to the front by a wolf, growling at them for loitering instead of doing what they were supposed to. The three of them trudged to the front of the line, where an old hag with half her face covered in boils, was handing out their schedules.

**Beomgyu of Woods Beyond**

**Evil, 1 st year**

**Malice Tower 66**

He looked at the parchment in his hands with poorly feigned bewilderment.

“This is wrong. I’m not evil, I’m good.” He calmly reasons with the old hag.

The old hag just handed him a pile of books, tied up by a live snake that hisses at him. He drops it to the floor.

“If you could just kindly direct me to the school master to fix this issue, then it would be great. I’m sure my friend Taehyun is also having a hard time on the other school.” He explains further.

The old hag shoved a piece of rag clothing onto his face, probably to shut him up. Beomgyu takes a deep breath. _Temper, Gyu. Control your temper. You’re good._

“This is urgent. If you would just tell me where-“

“Go pester someone else, you rainbow faced buffoon-“ the hag hisses at him before she was sent flying.

Evil students stood frozen at the hall, probably surprised by the early outburst. They weren’t expecting to see a blond beauty panting, jaw taut and fists clenched. The hag lay motionless across from him as he suddenly heard mockery and laughter, directed to the hag he punched the lights out and not him, until he realizes what he did.

_No . . ._

He glanced at his side where his acquaintances were, and they were laughing along and giving him a thumbs-up. But his eyes caught somewhere else.

At the back of the two were more portraits. One with a glint of danger in his eyes and a mischievous smile seen across its handsome face, hanging in the walls dedicated to evil. A portrait of him.

“This is not happening.”

~

On the other hand, Taehyun almost killed a fairy already, after arguing with it that he and his friend got mixed up and he was supposed to be in the other school. _Because I couldn’t handle all these pink stupid glittery piles of rubble in my face._ The fairy bit him, and when he was about to catch it, it bit him again on his hand, arm, and even his bum. He tried stomping on the annoying being, until it mistakenly went into his mouth and he immediately swallowed. Gasps could be heard and pairs of eyes were watching him dumbstruck. He felt a tickle in his throat and he immediately coughed out the fairy.

He looked around him and was struck with insecurity. Everyone he sees is _beautiful_. Princes and princesses wearing expensive clothing, smiles blinding, and hair silky.

He feels a twist in his stomach as he glances at himself: ragged and dirty clothing, pale and thin and sickly, hair in a mess. _I don’t belong here._ He sinks into insecurity right there and then.

_I want to go home._

“Hey, are you okay?” he heard someone in front of him ask, “You seem to be . . . lost.”

He was confused, and panicking, and it is written all over his features. However, the boy in front of him seems to notice.

“Uh I’m Hueningkai.” He hesitated to say his next words, “You should calm down for a bit. It wouldn’t help you if you let yourself panic. There’s nothing to be scared of here.”

_Except for me,_ Taehyun thought.

He felt gentle hands rub circles on his back to soothe him down, and strangely, it did manage to help him breathe lighter. Yes, he’s confused, but he’s smart too. If he wants to go back home with his only friend, he’s got to keep it together, he’s got to find a way to go back in his ordinary life.

As bells rang, he found himself being lifted up in the air, a pair of small fairies grabbing his shoulders so they could get across the lake. He glanced back at the fairy he coughed out, only to be greeted by a slight shaking of his head as if to assure the boy that there was no mistake.

A huge entryway catches his attention as the fairies put him back on the ground.

**School for Good Enlightenment and Enchantment**

He followed up to Hueningkai as they lined up going inside, the said prince calling out for him.

He never felt so out of place in his entire life, and he lives in a cemetery. He even notices adults looking at him in perplexed expressions, as if wondering if he was _in the right place._ Hueningkai mentioned that they were the faculty, and Taehyun couldn’t stop staring in awe at the beautiful gowns and dashing suits, accompanied by young beautiful faces. He didn’t fail to notice one of them looking at him as if he was supposed to be here, before ignoring it completely focusing on Hueningkai’s words.

The prince was kind enough to explain a few things to him, even if he rarely responds. He felt that the other was only doing it out of pity, that maybe he was a good deed to show off, _like what Beomgyu once did . . ._

His mind drifted off to Beomgyu, worried if his friend was scared to death in the evil school; that maybe the goblins decided to pull tricks on him, or giants pinning him with their foot, or an angry witch pulling a strand of hair from the blond to put in her voodoo, or-

A floating nymph caught his sight.

“There’s been a mixed up!” he called out, surprising the prince next to him, and the other Evers near. “My friend Beomgyu was supposed to be here.”

The nymph smiled at him.

“I tried to stop him from coming, but I confused the bird and I ended up here, and he ended up in the other school. He’s pretty and likes light colors, and he’s my best friend. Please help us get out of here because we _can’t_ stay.” He started rambling when the nymph handed him a parchment.

**Taehyun of Woods Beyond**

**Good, 1 st year**

**Purity Tower 51**

“But-“

The nymph handed him a bag of books and a neatly pressed uniform.

He looked around, seeing boys and girls smiling while happily sharing schedules and giggles. He saw portraits upon portraits of heroes in the walls of the hall, all living happily ever after. But what caught his attention is a portrait in one of the corners, a brunette boy with smiles showing his dimples. It was him, but he never really smiled that happily. His mind suddenly flooded with unanswered questions, with thoughts of Beomgyu and home, and he felt dizzy.

“This is not happening.”

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> additional character tags:  
> Jeon Jungkook  
> Bang Chan  
> Choi San


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We can't stay!"
> 
> "There's nothing for me to go back to."

Beomgyu grudgingly arrived at room 66, following Bangchan and San. Jungkook was already in the room and is taking his time unpacking his things. He puts the books and uniform on top of his bed and stretched out his limbs.

“What’s the pretty thing on your neck, little prince? Can I take a look?” Bangchan said, eyeing the silver piece of jewelry.

Beomgyu reached out to touch his necklace, and the silver ring dangling on it, as he throws a suspicious look at the other. “My _mother_ gave this to me before she was gone. Do not get any ideas or I will personally tie this snake around your neck.” He threatened as he grabs the snake tied onto his books.

Bangchan giggled while raising his hands up in mock surrender.

The villains started talking to each other about what Beomgyu thought as normal villainy stuff. He stayed quiet, not quite knowing what to say or not even bothering to try and join their little conversations about kidnapping people for ransom. _At least I have decent looking roommates instead of freaks. It makes this whole situation feel less unbearable._

His thoughts drifted on how he should get out of here. He knows a bit regarding the two schools, since he had dreamt of being here his whole life, just not in dark towers surrounded by mediocre beasts. He knows he shouldn’t panic, that he should handle this _mess_ calmly. He’s smart, but he’s ill-tempered and impulsive at times. _And I seem to have made quite an impression earlier. I really should think of something-_

“Could ya not look stupid blanking out? Ya actually starting to get in my nerves.” Jungkook growled at him.

An idea occurred to him. _Might as well use them to my advantage._

“If you hate me so much, then you’ve got to help me.”

The older snarls, “Me? A villain? Help you? An ever that isn’t supposed to be here?”

Beomgyu almost rolled his eyes at the dumb statement, “ _Exactly!_ I have to prove that I’m good, that I don’t belong here like what all of you think. So you wouldn’t have to deal with me anymore.”

“I don’t think it’ll work, considering the stunt you pulled earlier.” Bangchan reminded.

“Look, the only reason for that is Evers, _like me_ , couldn’t and shouldn’t be tolerating Nevers. I’m already risking a lot asking you all a favor.” The Nevers were about to retort complaints when he beat them to it, “But if you help me get to the school _that I belong to_ , then no more ‘stupid face staring blankly’ or ‘fairy guy punching hags’ to tolerate around here. You’re free to hate me all you want. If you don’t help, then suck it up, you’re stuck with _me._ ”

“Suppose we do help you, what are you even going to do, smarty pants?” San questioned.

“I need to see the School Master. You’re going to help me find him.”

“I need to see the School Master.” Jungkook repeated with mockery, “How about jump off the window and see if he catches ya like some prince on a unicorn.”

Bangchan and San laughed at Jungkook’s remark as Beomgyu throws him a glare, “Or help me flunk classes or something. I shouldn’t excel here.”

“I think you’ll flunk nonetheless.” San stated in between laughter.

“Alright, enough with this dilly dally chitchat about Evers and unicorns. I thought we hated them.” Bangchan said as he wipes stray tears from the laughing fit.

“We did, and we still do.” Jungkook smirks, turning to Beomgyu, “I hate to say this but ya have a point. I’d have more chance of _killing_ ya if you were an Ever, anyway.”

Beomgyu looks at the black rags of robe on his bed. _If I’m going to have to blend in at this godforsaken place, might as well make myself feel comfortable._ He looks at the Nevers in the room, all seemingly agreeing to his plan and he grins, things are going his way.

~

Taehyun was supposed to bunk with Jisung and Hyunjin, before he scared the poor princes off with headless birds from his pocket. _I should give an extra treat to Hobak when I return_.

He was standing in the middle of his own room, observing the walls and furniture before grabbing the sheets from the other beds and using it to cover the mirrors. He has always hated them.

After a few more redecorations, he slumped into his bed and looked around. He thought that if he was going to stay here for awhile, then best he made himself comfortable at the very least. He took a deep breath as he lets himself think.

_I don’t know much about this school, but I know that if I want to go home then I have to remain calm and collect my thoughts. I need to find the school master, but first I need to get Beomgyu._

His thoughts drifted to the other male, how he would always trick him into eating mint chocolate ice cream, to their peaceful walks near the lake, to those activities he would be forced to do but he lowkey enjoyed. He wanted to be back home, with his only friend.

Before he let himself mope at the thought of being away from Beomgyu, he decided to take a breath of fresh air.

Climbing out his window was a little trickier than he thought, as he was shaky and clumsy. But he managed to lift himself up and take a step outside, grabbing onto the windowsill. He glances at the other school, all dark and cloudy, a complete contrast to the one he’s on. As Taehyun looks at the scenery in front him: endless woods on all directions, and a blue forest towards the back of the schools; his eyes caught sight of another tower, right in the middle of the two schools. He squints his eyes to see better. There seem to be fairies guarding the top and wolves at the bottom. And he found a single window near the top, but what he saw almost made him fall off his window.

It was the crooked shadow that took them. Except that he doesn’t look much like a shadow, but a _human boy_. Taehyun was able to make out a mop of _grayish blue_ hair before the figure turns and a _gray_ pair of orbs meets his.

A gust of wind blew past his face, making him hold on tightly to his window as he covers his eyes with his free arm. When he looked at the window again, the shadow was gone.

_So that’s where the School Master is,_ Taehyun thought as he went back inside, deciding that maybe he should start to investigate. The sooner he finds answers, the sooner he and Beomgyu can go home.

He went out of his room, noticing the lack of people in the hallways of Purity as he remembers that they were informed of a Welcoming that afternoon. Taehyun couldn’t care less anyway and proceeded to roam the halls in search of a library. And when he found it, unfortunately, he bumped into one of the professors.

The professor eyed him from head to toe, “The library is not yet available at this day, dear. Do you actually need anything?” her voice was gentle but for some reason, Taehyun feels like the professor is trying to read him.

“No, not really. I’m just taking a look around.” He just answered, trying his best to smile.

“Well, dear, now is not a good time to be looking around. You have a Welcoming to attend to. Now go on.” The professor said before pushing him back towards the towers, and she left.

He continued roaming around anyway, not caring about the said event, until he found himself in what looks like a gallery. Taehyun’s curious eyes dart around the sculptures of heroes, displays of remnants of old heroes, and portraits of graduated students locking lips.

As he gazed at the different paintings mounted on the wall, his forehead can’t help but to crease at the awfully familiar town in them. The red sidewalks and stone brick walls, a crooked clock tower in front of a town square, a small lake near the houses. Taehyun couldn’t be mistaken, _he had lived in this place his whole life_. He moved to next painting and his stomach nearly sank. It was the same town, except that it was burning. Flames rose as high as the clock tower as it nearly eats up Ttukseom, dozens of citizens fleeing for their lives, he even recognized some of them, and some of them laying cold on the ground.

He backs up from the painting. _No way . . . This is just a painting, right?_

He was pulled from his thoughts when he saw some lights and he heard the jitter of fairies getting near. Panicking, he immediately ran to the opposite direction, stumbling inside the first door he sees. Thankfully it was one of the hallways leading to the main hall, where Evers were lining up to go to the Welcoming.

Taehyun sighs. _This is no use. I’d really have to blend in._

He walked along the lines as he tries to force a smile, completely ignoring the fairies looking for a guilty face.

~

The Swan Theater opened for both schools: Good coming from the West, Evil coming from the East. Students sitting onto their halves of the theater, with wolves and fairies standing on the marble aisle guarding their respective sides.

Beomgyu earned looks once he came in; Nevers grimacing at his enviable visuals, Evers gasping and wondering why someone as good-looking as him is in the other school. Not to mention that his uniform seem different from the rest.

_“Even if I’m stuck in this place, I should at least look presentable.” He told his roommates before using their daggers and needle and thread (who knows why San has them anyway) and sewing away._

To say that Beomgyu was envious of the light colored uniforms and pampered faces of the Evers was an understatement. Right then and there, he wanted to just plunge into the other side and show that he’s one of them, but he knows that he shouldn’t act rashly. He was about to sit with the Nevers when he was tackled in a hug by Taehyun.

“I was so worried about you.” He felt the slightly smaller boy nudge closer against his neck, “And I have great news. I found the School Master’s tower! It’s in the moat and there are guards but we can plan on how to get there and-“

“That’s great! Then we could convince him that there’s a mistake. And we get to switch schools and then all live happy ever after!” Beomgyu beamed, slightly pushing the other away.

“No Gyu, then we could go home.” Taehyun corrected, “We can’t stay here. Your father’s waiting, my mother, and my cat! I have a bad feeling with all their secrets here. We have to go back home, please.”

“Why? I don’t have _anything_ in Ttukseom to go back to.” Beomgyu said coldly.

Taehyun blushed with hurt. “You have.. um you have-“

All of a sudden, a door creaked open and someone entered while rolling on the floor like an egg. The Nevers start laughing at the circus show while the Evers try to hide their secondhand embarrassment, that is, until they get a proper glimpse at the boy’s face.

“Thought you were all so serious so I decided to make myself a fool.” The boy sighed dramatically, “Turns out it wasn’t enough.” At this, the Evers started laughing as if he made the funniest joke, the Nevers in turn kept quiet. The prince smiled triumphant.

Beomgyu was staring at the prince that entered, his eyes widening at the sight. The boy’s features were soft, yet it somehow made him look strong. Soft cheeks and button nose accompanied by fearsome eyes and strong charisma, with an aura of a leader overflowing his presence. He was _gorgeous_ , even for him. And the dimples that appeared when he smiled almost made Beomgyu want to dive in its depth.

The boy turned to look at him, almost as if the other felt the heavy gaze. And for a moment, Beomgyu felt his heart constrict in his chest. He didn’t notice Taehyun being pulled away from him and instead, he noticed the prince scrunch his nose and crease his forehead in confusion as he look over Beomgyu. _Adorable._ Beomgyu figured the reason was the black uniform he was dressed in. But before he could even do anything, a wolf shoved him in his seat.

He gazed at the prince again, but he only saw another boy pulling him down onto his seat.

“I’ve got to switch schools _right now._ I need to claim what’s _mine_.”

“What?” Jungkook, which was sitting beside him, asked, before he turned to look at where his roommate is staring, “Soobin? Ha! Ya have some bad taste there. Why would ya want someone as stuck up as his father?”

He was going to ask who his father was until his gaze landed on the unsheathed sword on the prince’s belt: dazzling silver with a diamond hilt and a glaring lion crest. It was all too familiar from the books that Beomgyu read. It was the Excalibur.

“King Arthur’s son.” Beomgyu smiled to himself as he feels his destiny lock in place.

~

“Welcome to the School of Good and Evil.”

The students stopped their chatter and turned to the stage. There were two individuals standing tall. One was cuddly and cute; hair a shade of silver and slicked back, royal blue clothing that resembles a prince’s, and eyes turning into crescents as he smiled. He looked angelic, and his voice was gentle. While the other was cold and intimidating; a mop of curly black hair that reaches his eyes, dark clothing that screams danger, a tattoo on one cheek and on his neck. His eyes are dark, and jaw tight. But despite the two totally different looks, they give off an aura that they’re connected, as if their _souls_ were entwined.

“I’m Jimin, Welcoming Leader.” Said the angelic one, as he nudged on the other.

“Taehyung. Welcoming assistant.”

“Let me first remind you why you’re here.” Jimin started, "All children are born with souls that are either good or evil. Some purer than others while-“

“Some are just plain crap.” Taehyung grumbled, earning him a glare from his twin.

“As I was saying, Evil cannot make their souls good, and Good cannot make their souls evil. You may feel stirrings of both, but it’s only because your ancestors has branches where good and evil are toxically mixed. But we will rid of that stirrings and make your souls pure-“

“Or you’d just be good as _dead_.” Taehyung said, low voice sending shivers down everyone’s spines. Students are starting to get scared of him, even the villains.

“None of these students will fail.” Jimin said with conviction, “All of you are chosen by the School Master because he saw something in you. Something that is very rare. Either pure Good, or pure Evil.”

“Fairy boy over here seems like he would vomit rainbow right now from his purity.” The Nevers laughed. Beomgyu rolled his eyes as he mentally took note of the pointy-eared boy that made the remark.

“We also have a goth in our midst.” A red-haired boy declared as he points at Taehyun.

“You shouldn’t question the School Master’s selections.” The angelic boy said as he subtly eyes the two boys, “You are here to protect the balance between Good and Evil. For once that balance is compromised, our world will perish.”

Taehyun grimaced, _if this world will perish then we’ve got to get out of here._

The twin smirked, “If we’re so ‘balanced’, then why does Evil not win anymore? _After 200 years_.” Jimin wanted to smack the other off the stage.

But villains started mumbling, screaming, throwing shoes and food at the horrified Evers.

“We never get good weapons!”

“Our henchmen betray us!”

“Our nemesis has an army!”

“Good is cheating!”

Before the Nevers could even charge past the fairies and wolves-

“It’s because you are all idiots!” Jimin scowled, “Now shut your filthy mouths and pull your sorry bums down before you’d have another thing to regret.” The Nevers sat without anymore argument. “Maybe if you stopped making excuses and complaining then you’d produce a villain evil enough to defeat their nemesis, you worthless pieces of crap.”

Jimin sighed heavily, pulling a gentle smile across his face (as if he didn’t look murderous a second ago), “Now, let’s discuss the rules.”

~

“Rule 12-“

Beomgyu was too busy staring at Soobin to even comprehend what the welcoming leader was saying. He had never seen such a boy so good-looking, so clean. The boys, and girls alike, back at Ttukseom we’re like miserable pirate kids with their yellow teeth and chapped lips that he didn’t want to bother looking at them. But this boy, this prince, with just one look, makes him want to curse his own visuals. And maybe he did want to learn curses, as he catches sight of a foreign-looking, brown-haired boy subtly flirting with _his_ prince.

Beomgyu squints his eyes at the brown-haired boy, etching his features in his mind as he adds another one to his ‘to be dealt with’ list.

“Rule 13. Halfway Bridge and tower roofs are forbidden to students. The gargoyles have orders to kill on sight-“

Beomgyu perked up at the mention of a bridge, turning to see Taehyun looking at him, eyes wide with hope. _Maybe things could be fixed after all._

“During your first year, you will be required to take courses that would help you prepare for three major tests: the Magic Trial, the Circle of Cyphers, and the Dream Ball.” Taehyung’s voice boomed in the theater, “There are a hundred students on both schools, each divided into five classes. For the point system, we do not give your ‘marks’. Instead, you are ranked from 1 to 20 depending on your performance in each challenge. These ranks would determine on what track you will take for your second and third years.”

Jimin added, “If you are ranked in the top five in your classes consistently, you are more likely to end up on Leaders track. Repeated midrange ranks on Henchmen track. And consistent ranks below 13 on Mogrifs track. On the second and third years, Leaders would train to defeat their Nemesis, Henchmen would train to follow their leaders, and Mogrifs would train to adapt to new forms, let’s say into an animal or a plant.”

The students murmured, already placing bets on who will turn into a squirrel or a stump.

“Three rank 20s in a row will be an immediate fail.” Taehyung warned.

The students from both schools threw glances at the two _Readers_.

“You might regret those looks when I’m in the right school.” Beomgyu shrugged, while Taehyun shrunk in himself, trying to make himself feel less visible.

“Furthermore, since the Swan Theater is in Good this year, Nevers would be escorted here for all joint school functions. Otherwise, you must remain in your schools at all times.” Jimin reminded.

“Why is the theater in Good?” Bangchan questioned.

Jimin answers, “Whoever wins the Circus gets the theater in their school.”

“And Good hasn’t lost a Circus or a Trial, or any competition at this school for the last two hundred years.” Taehyung grumbled, making the villains start rumbling once again.

Jimin ignored the Nevers’ complaints and was about to continue when, “Are Groom Rooms open yet?” was asked by a princess with short hair in a space bun.

“It is only available to Evers ranked in the top half of their class on any given day. Rankings are posted throughout the castle. Now for the next rule-“

“What are Groom Rooms?” Beomgyu whispered to Jungkook.

“Where Evers primp, preen, and get pampered.” Jungkook grimaced.

“Do we have those?”

“We have Doom Rooms.” Before Beomgyu could even ask more, he proceeded, “Where we’re beaten and tortured. Now shut up.”

Jimin was discussing about curfews when Jungkook asked, tone presumptuous that easily made him unlikeable on both sides. “How do ya become Class Captain?”

“After the Magic Trial, the top-ranked students in each school will be named Class Captain. They would have special privileges, such as private studies, field trips, and special training with the graduates.”

_I’d definitely be Class Captain if I was in the right school._ Beomgyu grits his teeth.

“You have six required classes.” Jimin continued, “The seventh class will include both Good and Evil and takes place in the Blue Forest. That and Lunch time on the Clearing will be the only time that you will be combined. That is, if all of you are mature enough. Your breakfast and dinner are in each school’s supper halls.”

Beomgyu felt his heart race. If he and Taehyun’s plan of searching for the tower that the other mentioned fails, then he could prove himself to everyone, to Soobin, that he was good during Lunch.

He was already imagining the meeting and how he would get rid of the brown-haired when Taehyung spoke, voice low and dangerous.

“One final reminder: never go into the woods after dark.”

“You may now return to your schools! Supper is at seven o’clock sharp.” Said Jimin.

Everyone was already moving out the chairs when a voice ripped through the chatter.

“How do we see the School Master?”

The hall went dead silent. Students turned, eyes wide with shock, at the brunette boy standing alone in the middle of the aisle.

In a split-second, Jimin and Taehyung appeared in front of Taehyun; same ferocious expression on their faces that made them actually look like twins.

“ _You don’t_ ,” they growled, voice hoarse like bear's.

Leaving while being pushed by fairies, Taehyun quickly bumped into Beomgyu and whispered, “Bridge, 9PM,” earning him a confused look from the blond before he seems to understand as he nodded.

Beomgyu looked at Soobin, and he finalized his decision. A smile graced his lips before gazing at Taehyun being shoved out the West doors. But Taehyun saw the look in Beomgyu’s eyes and the problem smashed him in the face.

While Taehyun only wanted a friend, Beomgyu doesn’t. Beomgyu wants something _more._

Beomgyu wants an _E_ _ver After_.

Beomgyu wants a prince.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> additional characters:  
> Park Jimin  
> Kim Taehyung


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You don't belong there!"

Taehyun roamed around the halls. It was already quiet considering that it was already night time. He knows he should be at his room, but the thought of spending another day in this place was the last thing on his mind. He has to meet Beomgyu on the bridge tonight so they could go to the School Master’s tower and convince him that they have to go home. It was simple as that. Until he remembers the last time he saw his friend. The thought of Beomgyu leaving him for a prince scares him to his core, but he knows that he have to trust him.

And so, as always, Taehyun put his faith on his best friend.

He doesn’t have the slightest bit of idea on how to get to the bridge, so he mindlessly but carefully walks around, hoping to find a doorway that could lead to his desired location.

When he heard clatters of something jittery, he was quick to hide behind a huge vase. He can’t afford to be caught by fairies. When he was sure that the patrolling fairies were gone from the hall, he quietly sprinted to the direction they came from.

He stumbled across a flight of stairs when he once again heard fairies coming at his way from around the corner. Without much thought, he ran up the stairs until he found himself in a rooftop topiary. He proceeded to hide in a corner behind one of the statues to catch his breath and to calm his racing heart.

He glanced at his surroundings, taking in the statues of what seemed like kings and queens, heroes of Good, decorated by a fountain or a brush of different colored roses. He thought about Beomgyu and if the other had manage to find the bridge and is currently waiting for him, before he stood up with renewed conviction. As he was about to leave, he was surprised at the sudden appearance of a fairy at the entrance of the topiary, making him stumble backwards and plunge into an unnoticed pond behind the spot he was hiding in.

Panic crept into his system, until he realized that he could actually breathe. He looked over at his current location, and found himself on a bridge. The Halfway Bridge. The pond was a _secret portal_.

Taehyun was at the end of the narrow stone bridge that stretched through thick fog into the rotted towers across the lake. He started walking towards the middle.

“Taehyun!”

He squinted and there, he saw his friend running out of the fog towards him.

“Beomgyu!”

Arms outstretched, the two dashed across the bridge-

Only for them to slam into an invisible barrier and ricochet to the ground.

Dazed, and feeling pain on his side, Taehyun managed to look up and see Beomgyu recovering and running back towards the barrier. He slammed his fists onto it, before he’s being jerked back again and a wolf taking the opportunity to grab him. The opportunity was lost immediately as Beomgyu punched the wolf away.

“Taehyun! You’ve got to listen to me!” Beomgyu screamed as Taehyun only stared at him, eyes wide with fear as he saw more wolves coming from the other side of the bridge, coming for his best friend.

“Just flunk your classes! We would figure this out soon Hyunnie. Just prove that _you don’t belong there._ Prove that _you’re evil_ and that this is _all a mistake!_ ”

A wolf grabbed Beomgyu and growled in his face, “There are no mistakes.”

Taehyun was dumbstruck, and before he even realize, the fairies were already there and is pulling him back in the castle. He looked back at Beomgyu being pinned down on the ground and disappearing into the fog.

And despite not seeing the other, his words remain ringing in his ears for the rest of the night.

~

“Is this for real?” Beomgyu deadpanned as he sat in his Uglification Class, eyeing the cat-like professor in front of the class.

Around him, Nevers sat at charred desks with rusty mirrors, smashing tadpoles to death in iron bowls. He grimaced, looking at his own bowl with disgust.

“Why do we need to be revolting and repugnant?” Professor Yoongi jeered, whiskers twitching, “Jungkook?”

“Because it makes us fearsome,” Jungkook answered, taking a swig of his tadpole juice as if it’s booze, and he instantly had a few warts around his neck.

“Wrong! San?”

“Because it makes little children cry,” San answered as he sprouted little horns.

“Wrong! Bangchan?”

“Because it’s easier to get ready in the morning?” Bangchan says, earning him mocking laughter from the other students.

“Wrong and stupid!” Yoongi ran his fingers to the fur on the side of his face, “Only once you give up the surface can you dig beneath it. Only once you relinquish your vanity can you be yourself.”

Beomgyu was crawling behind desks towards the door, but he immediately yanked his hand away when the knob burnt it, hissing and mumbling angrily.

“Only once you destroy who you think you are can you embrace who you truly are.” Yoongi said, glaring right at him. “Your uniform’s even hideous and it isn’t allowed to wear-“

“I haven’t heard any rule regarding clothing, and this is still made from the material of that stinky black tunic.” Beomgyu spat.

He returned to his seat and stared at the black tadpole juice on his desk. He heard smoky-green ranks explode on top of the Nevers’ heads: “1” over Jungkook, “2” over San, and so on.

“Ugliness means you rely on intelligence. It means you trust your soul. Ugliness means freedom.” Yoongi stated as he makes his way towards the blond boy, the only one without a rank on top of his head.

“Ugliness and me doesn’t really quite blend well.” Beomgyu sneered.

“Then do your challenge or you end up uglier than me.” Yoongi spat.

“I really don’t think that’s possi-“ and before Beomgyu could finish his sentence, Jungkook plunged his head into the bowl.

~

Taehyun was about to bump his head onto his desk. He thought about Beomgyu’s plan earlier in the morning before attending class and thought that it would make sense. If the faculty and the School Master did see that they got them mixed up, if they manage to prove that _Beomgyu is good_ and _he is evil_ -

He frowned at the thought, _why am I evil?_

But remembering how desperate Beomgyu looked that night on the bridge as he defends himself from the wolves, he figured that maybe the other was right. Maybe he is evil, he just haven’t discovered it yet. So right now, in his Grooming Class, he just have to flunk and not totally fail. _Yes, that’s the plan, I guess._

“The secret to capturing the hearts of people, of princes and princesses alike, lies in your smile. The kinder and gentler you look, the better.” Professor Seokjin said as he introduced the first topic about ‘Healing Smiles’. The professor took a look at him and sighed softly, “The key is to communicate with your eyes. The eyes are the windows to your soul, and you have to use it to your advantage.”

The good-looking professor walked around, surveying the boys as they show off their smiles. His white cape flowing from behind as he give off remarks.

“Now that’s a smile, absolutely stunning.” The professor said as he saw Hueningkai’s dazzling smile that seems to have brightened the room. He even gestured a chef’s kiss to prove his point. “That’s the smile of someone who would captivate the hearts of every kingdom.”

“You there! No smirking.” Professor Seokjin said as he looked at Taehyun’s smile.

With the teacher looking at him, Taehyun tried his best to mimic Hueningkai’s perfect smile.

“Now it’s a creepy grin. A smile, child. Just how you smile every day.”

Taehyun just frowned and slumped his shoulders, giving up as he remembered how Beomgyu would make him smile but then would say that he is evil. He slumped on his seat as a rusting “20” appeared on top of his head.

~  
  


If Grooming was bad enough, Chivalry was worse. It was taught by Jimin, who seemed to be in a bad mood as he sat in a wheelchair. The Ever boys staring at him in confusion.

“And here I thought I was teaching princes. All I see are twenty ill-mannered boys gaping like toads. Are you toads? Do you like to catch flies with your pink little tongues?”

The boys stopped staring after that.

The first lesson was ‘Proper Posture’, which involved the boys descending the tower staircases with a nest of nightingale eggs rested on top of their heads. Although there are a few other clumsy ones, Taehyun had the most difficult time, which he kind of blamed on spending his lifetime slouching. Hueningkai and Jisung didn’t help at all with their staring. And by the end of the lesson, he left twenty eggs bleeding yolk on the marble floor.

“Twenty beautiful nightingales who will not have a life, because of you.” Jimin sighed sadly.

As class ranks appear over each boy, Taehyun looked at the rusty “20” hovering over him, before it crashed onto his head.

One more last-place rank, and he fails. He doesn’t want to think about what happened to those who failed, as he remembers Taehyung’s grave warning. He takes a deep breath, thinking of his and Beomgyu’s plan.

_I shouldn’t fail. I won’t fail if Beomgyu relies on me._

And even if the blond’s accusation of him being evil rings in his ears, he brushed it off and focuses on what’s truly important. He hurried to his next class, with newfound conviction and desperation to prove himself _Good._

~

Henchmen Training takes place at the Belfry, which requires the students to move at least thirty-flight of stairs in the Malice Tower. Once they arrived, they were greeted by Taehyung.

“Of course I get the reader in my group.” He grumbled, looking straight at Beomgyu. He ordered his assistant, Yeontan, to prepare his challenge.

“Your battles’ outcomes would depend on the competence and loyalty of your Henchmen. Some of you would become henchmen yourselves, and your lives would depend on the strength of your Leader. If you want to stay alive once you get to the Endless Woods on your fourth years, then you would have to pay attention.” Taehyung’s voice was strict and strong, making the villains stand tense. “And now, for your first challenge: How to Train a Golden Goose.” He stepped aside and Yeontan showed up with the bird.

Beomgyu gaped at the elegant gold-feathered bird in front of the class, and its pearly blue eyes were looking at the villainous audience in front of it, before it smiled.

“Why is it smiling?” asked Bangchan.

“Golden Geese only listen to Evers. They hate villains. This is a waste of time.” Jungkook complained.

“Excuses. If you manage to train one of these, then taming a monster troll will be easy.” Taehyung yawned, bored “Your job is to make that creature lay one of its prized eggs. The bigger the egg, the higher you rank.”

Beomgyu beamed, if he was going to prove that he’s good, then this is the perfect opportunity. He just had to make the Goose lay the biggest egg, and if it listens to Evers, then it’d definitely listen to him.

“There are five strategies in training henchmen: Command, Taunt, Trick, Bribe, and Bully. If you want to bully the bird then it’s on you, but a henchman will always bully back. You may use whatever strategy you desire.”

The first Nevers were of no luck, not even making a single progress. Surprisingly, a goat-faced boy was the first one to succeed. He verbally taunt the creature but it was no use. Until he decided to kick its nest, which was a horrible choice after the Goose yanked his tunic over his head. The boy yelped and started running around before banging himself on the wall. The Goose was delighted as it seems to be laughing based from the squawks it emits, before it excreted a golden egg the size of a coin.

“I won!” the boy screamed.

“Ah yes. Because running around naked and making your goose crap will actually help you in battle.” Taehyung rolls his eyes.

The Nevers started copying what the boy did as they make faces, puppets, or tickles the Goose with its own feather. Taehyung facepalms, grumbling that the whole situation is a big circus show.

When it was Jungkook’s turn, he only marched up to the Goose and punched it in the guts. It dropped an egg the size of a fist as he snickers, “Amateurs.”

Lastly, it was now Beomgyu’s turn. He walked to the Goose, which seemed exhausted from the laughing and laying eggs. But when their gazes meet, the bird seems to stop and sat still staring at him. His hope skyrocket as he stares back, sure of himself that the bird saw he was different from the rest.

_Yes, you are indeed different._

Beomgyu backed up, looking back at the Nevers impatiently waiting for him to finish so they could see their ranks, before he looked at the Goose again.

_You can hear my thoughts?_

_They are quite loud,_ it answered.

_What about the others?_

_No, just you._

_Because I’m Good?_ Beomgyu smiles.

_I can give you what you want. I can make them see that you’re a prince. One perfect egg and they’ll put you where you belong. You know what to do._ The bird smiled at him.

Beomgyu knelt in front of the Goose. He indeed knew what to do. It is what every protagonist in story books do when faced with a horrible fate.

He closed his eyes and makes a wish. He wished for Soobin, his prince, the one who could make him happy. He then wondered if Taehyun knew him, and the thought left a sour taste in his mouth.

He hears the other students gasp. He opened his eyes, only to see the Golden Goose’s feathers turn to gray, its eyes darkening to black, and warm smile dead as it release ordinary squawks. There was no egg in sight.

“What does this mean?” Beomgyu wondered if he did something wrong. He was almost panicking and his eyes landed on Taehyung’s petrified ones.

“It means she’d rather give up her power than help you.”

A “1” exploded in red flames over his head like a crown.

“It’s the most evil thing I’ve ever seen.” Taehyung said softly.

Stunned, Beomgyu looked as his classmates, expressions evident with fear. All except Jungkook, whose eyes was blazing as if he had found his competition. Behind him, far deep in a dark corner, Yeontan was shaking violently.

“Necromancer! Grand Witch!” he shrieked.

“I’m not!”

Yeontan nodded with certainty, “Grand Necromancer, Ultimate Witch.”

~

From the Belfry, the goose’s squawk echoes across the moat, into the soaring silver tower that split the two sides of the bay.

Dozens of ranks float into the only window like balloons in the wind. With each rank passing, he ran his fingers over them, enabling him to see whose it was and how they earned it. He sifted through the numbers until he came to the one he sought: a red-flamed “1” that revealed its history.

The crooked silhouette was amused. A Golden Goose giving up its power for a _student_? Only one could have such talent, only one could be so pure.

_The one who would tip the balance_.

~

Beomgyu has his next class, Curses, in a bone-numbing frost chamber, from the walls, desks, and chairs made completely of ice. He even thought that he was seeing bodies buried deep beneath the frozen floor.

“It’s cold,” Bangchan stuttered through gritted teeth.

“It’s warmer in the Doom Room.” Lady Wheein replied.

Howls of pain echoed from the dungeon beneath their feet.

“Uh I think I’ll pass.” Bangchan stuttered.

“Cold will harden your veins. Both literally and figuratively, if you must say. But if a reader is placing first place in challenges, then have villains become soft?” Lady Wheein sneered, “In this class, you will learn to find the Ever who stands in the way of your goal. One of them is out there, my Nevers. Somewhere in the Endless Woods, your _Nemesis_ is there.”

Beomgyu was spacing out, not hearing anything the professor says, and instead, his ears are ringing from the Goose’s squawks. He feels tears welling his eyes, both due to the frustration and the cold.

“Your Nemesis will grow stronger as you grow weaker. It is your other half, your soul’s inverse. You will come to know your Nemesis in your dreams, but only exceptional villains are blessed with Nemesis Dreams. You won’t get to choose who they are.” Lady Wheein stated, as if she heard every thought that goes through the Nevers’ heads, “They are the sum of your hate and fears. A Nemesis will haunt your dreams night after night until you see nothing but them. They will make your blood boil in the most hateful way possible.”

Lady Wheein eyed the class, eyes settling on Beomgyu. She leaned on his desk and looked deep into his eyes, trying to see if the boy was something special. Because whether she liked it or not, the pretty blond Reader might be their best hope.

“Only when your Nemesis is dead will you feel quenched. Only when your Nemesis is dead will you feel free. Kill your Nemesis, and Nevermore will welcome you to eternal glory.”

As the class tittered in excitement, the professor cast one last look at Beomgyu before she announces the class is dismissed.

He immediately went outside and up the stairs, until he found a balcony off the hall. With the privacy of the fog, he leaned on the wall and slumped on the floor as he finally let himself cry. He didn’t care if anyone would see or make fun of him. Despite showing to others that he was strong and sharp-tongued, he’s actually really scared, and lonely. He never wanted to be in this tower, he never wanted to be told he was evil when all that he knew he did was good.

He reached for the necklace that his mother gave him when he was little. Playing with the ring attached to it like a charm. His mother always believed in the kindness of his heart, she has always believed that he would have a happy ever after even if his father would snort insignificant remarks at the thought. She always had faith in him and she always told him the right thing to do, but now, the only thing left of her was memories and an accessory. _If only you were here, then you’d know what to do._

He glanced at the glimmering glass towers across the lake; the school of his dreams now seems so out of reach. He thought of Taehyun being in the other side, in _his_ classes with _his_ prince, and it left a sour taste in his mouth. Until it occurred to him.

Lunch. Both schools will spend their time in the Clearing for lunch. And Soobin will be there. His prince. The one that would come rescue him like he was some damsel in distress.

He wiped the few tears left on his cheeks as he stood up with new hope.

Beomgyu sprinted in the Evil Hall to get to his History of Villainy Class, when Bangchan grabbed him and pulled him to the side.

“They cancelled classes.”

Eyebrows burrowing in confusion at the sudden announcement, he asked, “What happened?”

They suddenly smelled smoke creeping around the halls. Looking at each other, both boys shoved their way into the crowd of students and stared at the window.

Across the bay, they could see smoke coming from the other school: a Good tower was on fire.

“Lunch will be sent to your rooms!” boomed a white wolf, as fellow wolves cracked whips to get the students in their respective rooms. But Beomgyu stood still, watching the tower as his heart sank, losing the bit of hope he gained.

~

Animal Communication, taught by Princess Yongsun, took place on the lakeside banks of Halfway Bay. Taehyun doesn’t quite understand why they’d have to know what furries say, but thinking about it, he still doesn’t understand why he’s in this school _at all_. So he shut his thoughts and decided to pay attention.

Princess Yongsun seemed to be far too young to be a teacher, as she sat on the prim grass, hands folded over her light blue gown and bleach blond hair resting on her shoulders. Taehyun thought she was beautiful, if she only manage to complete a sentence without giggling at animals.

When she noticed the whole class staring at her, she gasped and cupped her face with both her hands. “Oh my! I have too many friends!”

Taehyun deducted that she was either nervous, or an idiot.

“Ehem!” she fake-coughed, “Evil has many weapons on their side; black magic, poisons, curses. But you have animals on yours. Every animal could talk to you if you know how to talk to them. Some of them even remember when they were humans!”

Taehyun was confused with her last statement, but then again he thought that none of this would even make sense no matter how hard he tries to understand. _Yeah, like a bird could help me when there’s an axe-wielding beast. It definitely makes sense._

“Of course, not everyone would become a prince or a princess,” she continued, “because low ranks won’t make good rulers. Then you’d become sidekicks, fighting at the sides of your Leaders. It is very useful. You might even save a life.” She whistled heartily, causing the students to plug their ears in surprise as a bunny hopped off toward the princess, a story book in its little arms. “Because once upon a time, an animal saved mine and in return, it received the happiest ending of all.”

She showed a brilliant painting of a princess being rescued by a stag from a warlock. The princess looked exactly like her. Suddenly, everyone’s skeptical expressions morphed into one of respect. This wasn’t just a teacher; this was a living breathing princess in front of them, with her own story in the palm of her hands.

“Let’s move closer to the bank, shall we?”

As the Evers move their way towards the bank, Taehyun unwillingly followed. He passed by the story book that now lay open on the grass and he stopped in his tracks.

_What the.._

“How is this a happy ending?” he asked, voice loud enough for everyone to hear, as he showed them the painting on the storybook’s last page. Everyone turned to look.

Princess Yongsun smiled at him, as if he would learn that lesson soon enough, “Animals love to help princes and princesses for so many reasons!” she declared, “If you aren’t good enough to be one of royalty, then you’re honored to die for one, of course.”

Taehyun felt sick to his stomach at the princess’ statement and at his nodding classmates that believed it was for righteousness. But what made him more sick is the painting of the said stag being ripped to pieces by monsters as the princess escaped. He grimaced at the thought that there’s a possibility for that to happen to him once he fails, until a thought came in his mind that bothered his very core.

When he was scanning the displays in the Gallery of Good at that one time he encountered it, he remembered seeing the remnants and displays of stuffed animals mounted against the walls. _And if they were once humans like the princess said…_ A chill went through his spine as he pictured students turning into animals, a result of being not good enough to become a prince or a princess.

“For today’s challenge, Wish Fish! If animals are going to help us, we must first tell them what we want.” The princess beamed, pulling Taehyun away from his thoughts. She swirled her finger in the water and a thousand tiny white fish surfaced. “They dig inside your soul and find your greatest wish! All you have to do is put your finger in the water, simple. The one with the strongest, clearest wish wins!”

Taehyun wondered what these Evers’ souls would wish for. For once, he was suddenly interested. _What do Good souls wish for? Peace between kingdoms? Health for their people? Destruction of Evil?_

He watched the first girl, whose name he thinks is Jisoo, as she put her finger in the water and closed her eyes. But when she opened them, the fish had all turned different colors and were gaping at her, confused.

“What happened?” she asked.

“Your mind’s foggy. Better think of your wish soon, dear.” Princess Yongsun sighed.

Then came Jennie, a beautiful brunette with her long hair braided. When she put her finger on the water, the fish turned red, orange, and peach and started assembling into some kind of picture. Taehyun watched in anticipation.

The fish drew a boy in which Jennie recognized, “Jongin!”

One by one, the boys and girls dipped their fingers and the fish kept changing into different mosaics of different people.

Taehyun groaned. He should’ve known. He found it dumb at first, but now it was just scary. He never thought that Good souls would crave people they didn’t even know; he knew these Evers were naïve at one point, but this is just too much mediocrity.

“Love at first sight, the most beautiful thing in the world.” The princess cooed.

Taehyun gagged, he was surrounded by naïve princes and princesses who lacked depth.

The next one, Hueningkai provided a grand climax. His Wish Fish painted into a spectacular rainbow vision of his fairy tale wedding to Soobin, complete with a castle in a water park, crowns and plushies of different sizes, as the kingdom celebrated with tons of rainbow flags. Everyone was amazed and touched by what they saw, and they realized that they could never compete.

“You must hunt him Hueningkai! You must make Soobin your mission!” she turned to the rest of the class, “Because when a true prince or a true princess wants something enough, your friends unite for you, fight for you, and make your wish come true.” She swirled her fingers in the lake once again, and the fish transformed into a suitcase, for questionable reasons if Taehyun must say.

  
She hugged the suitcase to her chest and looks up, “Should I give you your ranks?”

“Taehyun hasn’t gone yet.” Hueningkai says, softly pushing him to the front.

“If he fails, I’d have the room all for myself.” Hyunjin says and the other Evers started laughing. Taehyun just kept mum.

The princess gave a small smile and put her suitcase back in the water. Taehyun watched it sink and turn into a thousand white fish. They were gaping at him with large droopy eyes, as if their safety was subdued.

_Mine’s easy. I wish not to fail. That’s it. Don’t fail._

He stuck his finger in the water and the fish started trembling like flowers in the wind. Taehyun repeated his wish in his head.

_Don’t fail – Bed back home – Don’t fail – Beomgyu safe – Don’t fail – School Master gone_

The fish turned blue, then yellow, then red as the wishes seem to be swept in a cyclone

“Not just foggy. Completely confused!” Princess Yongsun murmured.

The fish started to quake, red in color and as if it was about to explode. He tried to pull out his finger from the water, but it clamped onto it like a fist. It suddenly pooled on Taehyun’s hand like magnets to metal as the colors change to black.

_Home School Mom Dad Good Bad Boys Girls Ever Never –_

The fish shook harder and harder, faster and faster as it gripped his hand. The fish seems frantic and he felt like he is stuck with a time bomb. It started creeping up his arm when he moved to yank it away, barely succeeding as the fish started crawling from his feet up to his legs. And then, he heard the fish let out a thousand tortured screams.

_Fail Win Truth Lies Lost Found Strong Weak Friend Foe-_

“Help! Somebody!” he cried as he tried moving his feet. But the fish were swarming him, making him unable to move as it made its way further up to his face. Taehyun felt like his head was splitting in two as the screams grew louder, suffocating. He tried kicking himself out, yanking the fish away from his body, but there were an overwhelmingly huge number of them.

_Hate Love Punish Reward Hunter Hunted Live Die Kill Kiss Take_

He felt his breath hitch, his body starting to numb. The fish feel like they were leeching away his every last drop of life until there was nothing left to-

_Give._

The screaming stopped. The fish swarm away as he felt a body weighing on top of him.

It was a boy that seems be around his age group. The boy stirred and opened his eyes. When his eyes met Taehyun’s, the boy smiled at him as if he was an old friend.

“A hundred years, and you were the first who wished to free me.” The boy rested a palm on Taehyun’s cheek as he closed his eyes, “Thank you.” His body went limp on Taehyun’s arms and inch by inch, the boy started to glow the color of hot gold, and with a burst of white light, he disappeared into sunbeams.

“Was all that normal?” Taehyun took the courage to ask, his heart racing in his chest as panic started to creep in his system when he found the lake void of fish. And yet one look at the princess, he already knew the answer to his question.

The next thing happened so fast that Taehyun lost his breath, and his composure. There were animals in a frenzy now, howls and wails coming from all sides of the forest surrounding them; squawks heard overhead and grunts from outside the school gates. They were screaming louder and louder. And as he gazed at the princess for help, he was hit with a realization.

_The students turning into animals.. The boy earlier.._

Before he could move, the stampede came from every direction. All charging toward their _savior._

_Make us human!_

_Save us, our Prince!_

Taehyun’s eyes widen. Since when could he understand animals?

“What do I do!” he shouted.

Yongsun took one glance at the animals, her good friends and faithful pets, before turning to Taehyun and mouthing, “Run.”

And for the first time in this school, someone gave Taehyun an advice that he could actually use. He dashed inside the castle, while dodging hurdling hogs and hares, shielding his head from magpies and hawks. He bolted through the glass stair room that leads to the towers when he came across Jimin in his wheelchair.

“What the hec-“

“A little help!” he yelled.

“Don’t move!” Jimin shrieked.

But it was too late as Taehyun charged up the Honor stairs, hundreds of animals on his tail. And when he glanced back at the teacher, he saw that he tried fighting off the herd before he was knocked off his wheelchair as he once again screamed to Taehyun, “Not into the towers!”

However, Taehyun ran across the hallways of Honor, left and right classrooms filled with students in the middle of their lessons. Evers and teachers both caught off guard with the sudden commotion. As adrenaline took over his system, he managed to sprint up the stairs, enter the first door he sees and kicked the door shut before even a single animal could enter.

He breathed heavily as he spares a glance at his surroundings. There were towering hedges of King Arthur and his queen, with some statues here and there. It looks like a safe haven, but Taehyun knew he wouldn’t last long up here.

He squints his eyes through the clouded door, hoping for a teacher or a nymph to rescue him, when a muscled silhouette comes into view. He felt relief wash through his systems, but not for long as the door was suddenly set aflame. He turned around and was face-to-faced with a horned gargoyle. Another fireball was directed at him as he immediately dodged and crawled under the hedges. One by one, the hedges surrounding the statues of Arthur and Guinevere was on fire, and Taehyun was trapped. There was no escape this time, so he went limp and closed his eyes.

But nothing came.

When he opened his eyes, he found the gargoyle kneeling before him, so close that he could see the reflections in his glowing red eyes. Reflections of a scared little boy.

“You want my help?” he gently asked as the gargoyle looked up at him, eyes welling with tears and hope, “I’m sorry, but I don’t know how I did it. It was just an accident.”

The gargoyle gazed into his eyes and saw that he was telling the truth. It slumped to the ground, lost. Taehyun had a lot of thoughts going on his mind at that moment. The monster was just a lost child, just like the other animals that ran after him. They didn’t follow orders or saved princesses because they’re loyal, but because they hoped that someday, love and loyalty would be repaid with a second chance at being human. Hoping to just go back home to their ordinary, imperfect lives, _like him_.

He held the gargoyle’s hand, “I wish I could help you. I wish I could help us all go home.”

A few moments of silence went by and Taehyun felt the hand holding his soften. The gargoyle lurched back in shock as its rock shell cracked, claws smoothen to hands, and red eyes lightened into innocent ones. With a gasp of joy, he reached out for him-

A sword impaled his heart and the gargoyle instantly reverted to stone and let out a betrayed cry. A prince leapt through the wall of fire, as Taehyun looked at him with wide eyes, horrified.

“Filthy, evil beast!” the prince murmured as he raises his sword up-

“No!”

Soobin slammed down his sword on the gargoyle’s neck and sliced off his head.

“What the heck is wrong with you!” Taehyun screamed, “He was a boy! A little boy! He was _Good_!”

Soobin put Excalibur back in its sheath as he towers over Taehyun, “Now I know you’re a witch.”

Taehyun punched him the eye, and before he could punch him in the other one, fairies, wolves, and teachers of both schools burst into the menagerie.

~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> additional characters:  
> Min Yoongi  
> Kim Seokjin  
> Jung Wheein  
> Kim Yongsun
> 
> additional relationship:  
> Choi Soobin/Hueningkai
> 
> additional tag:  
> Plot Twists


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You're Good."

Apparently, the fire had finally been brought under control, because classes resumed after lunch on the third day. Beomgyu found himself sitting in a damp and moldy classroom, wondering if there was at least one normal classroom in this forsaken school.

At another desk, he saw Jungkook throwing him murderous looks. He was a bit used to it at this point, as the other has been glaring at him for days, even back at their shared room. He also noticed Bangchan whispering to other Nevers as they try to hide their subtle glances at him. He pressed his lips into a thin line as he wonders _why_ are they convinced that he'd be Evil's Captain, when he hasn't done anything evil. The incident in the Belfry shouldn't count, he never actually thought that _wishing was_ evil. If he knew, then he wouldn't have done that.

Special Talents was taught by Professor Hyejin, a dark skinned woman with intimidating gaze. "Every villain has a talent! But first, we must turn your bush into a tree!"

For the day's challenge, each Never had to show off a unique talent to the class. The more potent the talent, the higher the rank.

But the first ones failed to produce anything, grumbling that they didn't even know their talent. 

"Is that what you'll tell the School Master at the Circus?" Professor Hyejin thundered, "'I don't know my talent' or 'I don't have a talent' or 'I don't like my talent' or 'I want to trade talents with the Barf King!'" the students kept their glances away as they held their laughter, "Every year, Evil loses the Circus of Cyphers! Good sings a song or waves a sword or wipes their bum and you have nothing better? How shameful! I don't care whether you turn men to stone or turn men to crap! Now, which monkey is next?"

The woeful displays continued. A green-skinned girl made her lips glow red. ("Because every prince is afraid of a Christmas tree," Hyejin groaned.) One sprung a hair from his chest, another made her rats grow an inch, another burped smoke. And just when the teacher looked completely fed up, Bangchan touched his desk and turned it to chocolate. 

"I never thought you could do that." Beomgyu marveled, "Is it edible?"

"I've never seen such a parade of uselessness in my life." Hyejin gasped.

"Say no more." San stood up, holding a small doll. He plucked a strand of hair from Beomgyu's head as the latter was tasting Bangchan's chocolate. He ignored the other's complaints and attached the strand to the doll and concentrated.

He moved one of the doll's arms and Beomgyu's arm followed.

"What the-"

San smirked and threw the doll upward and catched it back, causing for Beomgyu to plunge into air and smash right back on his desk in shock. The other Nevers laughed at the sight and the professor seems to be a bit amused. 

"It's not funny." Beomgyu gritted.

"Oh yeah?" San challenged.

San moved the doll to the left, Beomgyu smashed against the wall; he moved it to the right, the other slumped onto the bookshelves; he squeezed the doll's middle, and the other retched. Beomgyu groaned and glared at San, his body in pain as he tried to stand and keep himself steady.

San was about to move the doll again when Jungkook spoke, "Stop. I wanna have my fun too."

Beomgyu took the chance when San was distracted. He quickly ran to the other and grabbed the doll from his grip, ripping his hairstrand off the toy. "I'm not some toy to play with." he grumbled before pushing the doll on the other's chest.

"Nah, you're our toy to play with." San sneered as he glanced somewhere behind Beomgyu. The latter turned and found Jungkook, gripping on his desk with both fists, clenching hard until every vein bulged against his reddening skin.

Until something moved on Jungkook's arm and the class froze. His tattoo lurched, like a painting coming to life. The red-skulled demon unfurled one wing, then the other, swung its buck-horned head, and opened slitting bloodshot eyes. Beomgyu's heart stopped.

"Ya should watch out, pretty boy," Jungkook grinned.

The demon exploded off his skin in full-bodied form and tore towards him, shooting red fire bolts. Beomgyu dodged just in time for the bolt to hit his head.

He ran towards the back of the room as the demon followed him, barely dodging every bolt directed at him.

"Use your talent, you fool!" the professor shouted.

He grabbed a metal rod that he found in one of the shelves, swinging it to deflect a bolt. He knew how to handle swords, he thought that this rod was no different. When the demon came close to him, he swung the rod, sending the demon into the cobwebbed, spiked chandelier.

"I don't have an Evil talent!"

"Maybe you have _something Good_?" Bangchan snickered.

Beomgyu watched as Jungkook's eyes flared across the room, his demon slashing through the cobwebs. He thought of something else to do, seemingly running out of options as the demon managed to free itself and swept towards him again.

Professor Hyejin lunged to intervene, when San tripped her. The demon now held a bolt like a dagger, aiming for his face. And as he slung his bolt, Beomgyu suddenly remembered what every Ever had: friends.

He ran in front of the window and let out a harmonious whistle, recalling how princes and princesses would call for noble friends in their time of need.

But instead of birds like what he expected, black wasps smashed through the window and swarmed the demon on cue. Jungkook jolted back, as if he'd been stabbed.

Beomgyu was surprised, his eyes widening in horror. He whistled again, expecting it to stop, but now bats stormed in, sinking teeth into the demon as the wasps continue to sting. The demon crumpled to the floor, and Jungkook was almost paralyzed in his seat as his skin went white.

_Please make it stop_ , he wished before whistling again, hoping the swarm would go away. But then, a cloud of bees, hornets, and locusts came in, besieging the creature as its human started to violently convulse.

Panicked, the villains batted away the swarm with books and chairs, but the swarm show no mercy. Beomgyu just stood on his spot near the window, breathing heavily as he couldn't believe what he had _unintentionally_ done. He saw Jungkook heaving his last breaths and he felt like being slapped.

_No, don't kill him! I don't want this! Make it-_

"STOP!"

The swarm went dead still, and like scolded children, they whimpered obediently and fled out the window in a dark cloud.

Beomgyu watched as the demon limped back toward Jungkook's arm, as the latter choked and coughed out phlegm. He gaped at Beomgyu, eyes flooding with fear.

"I didn't mean it! It wasn't my intention! I- I thought a bird would come in- Since Evers call animals!" he cried into silence.

"Thank you Beelzebub." he turned to see the professor wobbling to her feet, "Looks like a prince. Acts like a prince. But is actually a _witch_. Mark my words, my useless ones. This one will win the Circus Crown!"

A glowing "1" emerged on the top of his head, spewing red smoke.

_No... This can't be..._

He looked as his classmates to appeal, but they were no longer looking at him with disgust or ridicule. They were looking at him with respect.

His place as the #1 Villain was getting surer by the minute.

~

After the fire, Taehyun was locked in his room for two days, allowed out only to use the toilet and accept meals. Until finally, after lunch in the third day, a white wolf came and took him away.

Digging claws into his pastel coat, the wolf pulled him past the stair room murals, earning glances from Evers and teachers. But they couldn't look him in the eye.

Taehyun fought back tears, if a wolf was going to take him, then he knew he was in a bad place. The thought about his two failing ranks didn't help either, and he was sure that the incident earned him a third.

All he had to do was pretend to be Good for a few days, yet he can't even do that. Why did he think that he could last here? If being beautiful, pure, virtuous were what it takes to be Good, then he was 100% Evil. And now, he was going to suffer the punishment. What's worse is that he knows what kinds of punishments were given in the story books.

He blinked the few tears threatening to fall, remembering his mother and cat back home, remembering his only friend that he failed to help.

"Are we going to see the School Master?" he asked in a small voice, as if he's afraid.

The wolf snorted and proceeded to drag him to the room at the end of Charity halls. It knocked once and a voice inside said, "Come in."

Taehyun looked into the wolf's eyes, his eyes brimming with unshed tears, "I don't want to die."

For the first time, his sneer softened. "I didn't either." And he pushed Taehyun inside the room.

He was met by a silhouette of a woman, standing strong and elegant against the huge glass window. Her silver hair was tied in a neat ponytail and her aura was comforting.

"Hello?" Taehyun managed to greet, recognizing the professor that he met at the library on his first day.

"I'd prefer the School Master handle these things, but we all know how he is about his privacy." she glanced at Taehyun, and suddenly, she didn't feel comforting anymore. "I have a school full of terrified students, two days of classes to make up, five hundred animals whose memories must be erased, a treasured menagerie reduced to ash, and a headless gargoyle buried somewhere underneath all this. Do you know why this is?"

Taehyun put his head down. He couldn't speak, he couldn't even properly think of what to say.

"Because you disobeyed Jimin's simple order." Professor Byulyi said, "And nearly cost lives in the process."

He glanced behind her, through the window viewing the lakeshore, where Evers were finishing lunches. He could see Soobin reenacting the menagerie scene for a thrilled audience as he bragged about his black eye like it's a badge of honor.

"I'm sorry." Taehyun said, eyes welling with tears, "Can I say bye to my friend at least?" he looked at the professor, "Before you... kill me?"

"That won't be necessary."

"Please! I have to see him!"

Professor Byulyi looked at him, "Taehyun, you received a first rank for your performance in Animal Communication and rightfully so. Making a wish come to life is a rare talent. Although there are different statements regarding what happened on the roof, but any pupil who would risk their life to help a gargoyle," she looked at Taehyun in the eye, "Well, that's Goodness beyond any measure."

Taehyun stared at her, eyes wide and tongue-tied.

"But if you disobey another teacher's direct order, I guarantee you _will_ fail. Understood?"

Taehyun nodded and let out a sigh of relief.

_I'm safe. I can still see Beomgyu._

~

And so he did.

"Beom!" Taehyun ran to his friend as soon as he saw him in front of the Blue Forest gates, embracing him in a hug, "You have no idea how much I wanted to see you."

Beomgyu was surprised at the sudden contact, no, he was actually surprised at how _tight_ the other was hugging him.

"Are we in the same group?"

"I think so. Are you in group three?" 

Taehyun sighed in relief, "At least you're here."

Beomgyu was confused, he can feel the other slightly shaking under his hold. He was about to ask what was wrong when another thought came to mind, "Why? Have you found a way to switch schools?"

The other frowned and pulled away, "Can't we just go home?"

Beomgyu looked away, "Well, we _could_ but," he heaved a sigh, "Everyone here thinks that I'm Evil. And I don't know why. And you know me Hyunnie, so I want to prove that I'm not Evil and that _I'll never be Evil."_

"You're not Evil, Beom-"

"But _why am I here_? _Why are you there_? I know you're not Evil too Hyunnie, but this place is _your_ kind of place, not mine."

Taehyun tried to hide the hurt in his voice, "They why won't it just switch us?"

"Maybe they are just testing our abilities. Maybe sooner or later, they'll see what's right." Beomgyu said, he sounded like he was only trying to convince himself. 

"I'd say sooner." A voice resounded.

They turned to Soobin, a smug look painted on his face despite his swollen eye.

"If you're itching for something to kill, how about yourself this time?" Taehyun spat, annoyed.

"I risked my life to kill that gargoyle. A simple 'thank you' would suffice." Soobin shot back.

"It was an innocent child! You killed an innocent child!"

"I saved you from death against all reason!"

"You two know each other?" Beomgyu asked, surprised at the exchange in front of him.

"How I _hope_ I didn't." Taehyun rolled his eyes, "You think he's _your prince_? I never knew you'd like a muscle-head who can't find anything to do than thrust his sword where it doesn't belong."

"You're just mad that you owe me your life."

"I don't owe you anything."

Soobin only ignored Taehyun after that and turned to Beomgyu, "So you think I'm your prince?" He smiled, flashing his dimples.

Beomgyu almost fell deep into them as his cheeks flushed pink.

"I knew it was a mistake at the Welcoming." Soobin eyed Beomgyu's features, as if wanting to memorize them, "Someone as pretty as you shouldn't be anywhere near Evil." He turned to Taehyun and scowled, "And a witch like you shouldn't be anywhere near someone like him."

"Before I make those eyes match, why don't you go and play with your phonies and get away from _my friend_."

Soobin laughed too much that he had to grip on the gate, "A prince, friends with a witch! Now that's fairy tale. Do you have any more lies on your tongue?"

"Funny how you'd say that when he is _in_ _deed_ my friend." Beomgyu said to Soobin, "Then I guess, I would say that I'm very disappointed." He shrugs and grabs Taehyun's wrist as he turns on his heel, when the prince stopped him.

"No- I mean- I guess it could happen..." The prince mutters, his face flushed red from embarrassment. He doesn't want to admit it, but somehow, the Never in front of him makes him flustered. Despite only meeting once, the other makes him feel weak and smitten. And maybe he is, for as he stares at the other's brown orbs, his breath hitching and heart racing, all reason seem to dissipate and all he could think of is the pretty blond's face.

"The name's Soobin." He says, breathless as he sees a smile form at the other's lips. 

"Beomgyu. Nice to meet you."

"How are you surviving that place?"

"Because I know you'd rescue me."

Taehyun rolled his eyes and folded his arms across his chest, clearly annoyed, as the rest of their Forest Group arrived. Hueningkai has his eyebrows furrowed as he eyes Soobin and Beomgyu.

"Mmm," said a voice in front of them.

They looked over where the voice came from and spotted a pointy-eared man, white hair styled to show his forehead with a gem in the middle, lips drawn to a thin line as he scans the group.

"Such a bad group, I must say." Hoseok the Elf shook his head as he opened the gates and led his students into the Blue Forest.

For a moment, everyone forgot their differences as they marveled at the blue wonderland around them. By _blue_ _wonderland_ , every tree, flower, or blade of grass sparkled a different shade of blue. Beomgyu and Taehyun had always associated the woods or forests with danger and darkness, one where you could never return, but this one beckoned with beauty and life that one would definitely be drawn into. That is until they saw a flock of bony stymph birds, the one that brought them to the school, sleeping in their blue nests.

"The stymph birds are perfectly harmless as they sleep during the day, so you don't have to worry about anything." Hoseok introduces, sensing his students' curiosity, "Unless a villain wakes them up, I doubt you'd even have a chance to regret."

The group proceeded on the small path, Hoseok leading as he discusses the history of the Blue Forest, "Once upon a time, there had been no joint classes for both schools. Students that graduated went directly to the Endless Woods. But before they even engage in their battles, or start their fairy tales, Good and Evil inevitably fell prey to the creatures that resides in the woods."

"But why is this forest blue?" Bangchan had asked.

"It came from protective enchantments to keep intruders out. But be mindful, this is just an imitation of the more treacherous Woods you would have to face." He turned to the students with a frown, "Because if you cannot survive the Woods, you cannot survive your fairy tale."

The trails become narrower as they went deeper in the forest, both sides of the path had dangling vines and an eerie atmosphere came over them. The forest grew darker, more dangerous, and the moans and growls that echoed from the forest bowels had sent chills down their spines.

The group had then began to see what was making the sounds. Pairs of eyes watching them from the depths of darkness; red, yellow, and green and blue. They could see growing outlines from the mist when Hoseok called their attention, and they immediately scampered to follow without looking back.

~

Surviving Fairy Tales was just like any other class with its ranking system. Only that there was more at stake.

"Twice a year, each of the ten groups would send their best Ever and best Never to compete in the school's Magic Trial, whereas if you win the competition, you would be given five extra first-place ranks." Hoseok announces.

All of them exchanged glances.

"That means whoever wins the Trial..." Bangchan drones.

"...will become Class Captain." Hueningkai finishes.

"Exactly. Now, there are _f_ _ive rules_ that separate Good from Evil. As long as you obey the rules for your side, you have the best possible chance of surviving your fairy tale." Hoseok waves his hand in the air and there formed letters out of smoke.

1\. The Evil attack. The Good defend.

2\. The Evil punish. The Good forgive.

3\. The Evil hurt. The Good help.

4\. The Evil take. The Good give.

5\. The Evil hate. The Good love.

"These rules should come with ease, of course. For you have been chosen in your schools because you show them at the highest level!"

Beomgyu furrowed his brows. _Then there's clearly something wrong because I've only done the Good rules my entire life_.

He glanced at Taehyun who has been staring at him for a while, eyes filled with worry and homesickness. And then at Soobin smiling at him, eyes with a hint of hope and attraction.

_Maybe home could wait a bit longer._

~

Taehyun was splayed on his bed that night, lost in his thoughts. He remembers Beomgyu and Soobin's interaction from their last class; remembers the glimmer in Beomgyu's eyes and the fascination in Soobin's. He's not blind, he could see that the two looks perfect for each other, _too perfect_ perhaps; how their height differences are ideal for a couple, how breathtaking the visuals of both are. Maybe he's just wary of that airhead prince, but who could blame him?

He knows Beomgyu wants this, knows he _deserves_ a happy ever after just like _anyone_ does. But he can't help the sadness that creeps in his system at the thought of losing the one and only friend he ever had.

_What if we manage to switch schools? What happens then?_

_Will Beomgyu and I become enemies? I don't want that._

_Will Beomgyu still remember me if he had his happy ever after?_

_But he will be happy, right?_

_But I don't want to lose him._

_Am I just being selfish?_

Before Taehyun knew it, tears are already streaming down his cheeks. He desperately tried to push his thoughts away from the other, but it only comes back to him, as if being pulled by gravity.

And maybe Beomgyu is his gravity, that no matter how far he is from him, he would always return. No matter how lost he seems, being with the other pulls him back on track.

And that's how Taehyun found himself on the Halfway Bridge, looking straight ahead as he enters the fog. He puts his arms forward, searching for the invisible barrier, until he could feel it on his palms.

He could see the fog clear up a bit as wind blew softly. And what he saw surprised him.

"Go away!"

His reflection stood a few feet away from him, arms folded in front of its chest.

"I need to get through." Taehyun said, eyes glued to the ground.

His reflection cleared its throat.

_"Good with Good,_

_Evil with Evil,_

_Back to your tower before there's upheaval."_

"I need to see a friend."

"Good has no friends on the other side."

Taehyun heard jittery ringing. He turned to see the glow of fairies at the end of the bridge. How could he outwit himself? How could he find the flaw in his own armor?

_Good with Good, Evil with Evil._

_That's it!_

"How about you? Do you have friends?" Taehyun asked, still averting his gaze from his reflection.

The reflection visibly tenses, "I don't know. Do I?"

Taehyun gritted his teeth and looked at his reflection in the eyes, "You're too ugly to have friends."

His reflection's eyes widen as a frown form on its face.

" _Definitely Evil."_

Taehyun heard the sadness in his own reflection's voice but he ignored it. He reached out his hand to touch the barrier, but this time, it went through.

By the time the fairy patrol made it to the bridge, the fog had already erased his tracks.

~

Taehyun scanned the interior of the Evil castle; cracked ceilings, shadow-masked halls, serpentine staircases, the dark and eerie atmosphere. Beomgyu was right, this is his kind of place. He has a feeling that this was where he belonged.

He hid behind a statue of a witch when he heard wolves patrolling, and sneaks a glance at the main corridor where portraits of villains are hung.

Taehyun didn't want to admit that he does read story books like everyone else back in Ttukseom, but he never really liked heroes. He had always found villains more exciting. For him, villains had ambition and _passion_ , and with those, they made the stories happen.

Once the coast was clear, he got up and snuck further to the stair room. As he saw more portraits, and as he inhaled the school's graveyard scent, he felt a strange sensation came over him: a feeling of _nostalgia_ ; of _power_ ; of _adrenaline_. Because like every villain, he wasn't afraid of death, and instead, it makes him feel _alive_.

Taehyun shrank behind a wall when he heard chatter; a wolf was leading some Nevers down the stairs. As he observed them, faces scowling, thin bodies and hair like a bird's nest, he knew he'd fit right in. Even the black tunics were just like what he'd _love_ to wear back home.

But he noticed something; bitterness in their mouths, hate in their eyes, pent-up rage in their fists. 

_Wickedness_.

Something Taehyun never felt.

Because he was different.

_Different usually turns out Evil_.

His breath hitched at the realization.

_That's why the shadow didn't kidnap a second child._

_Because I was meant to be here all along._

Taehyun shook his head as he tries to control his rushing thoughts, as if shaking it would make his thoughts just fly off his brain.

He didn't want to be a villain or a prince. He wants to go home.

He didn't want to be here. Not if he and Beomgyu would be on different sides.

_We need to get out of here._

Upon checking if there are any wolves around, Taehyun sprinted up the Mischief stairs; carefully walking and avoiding the patrols, until he reached a dead end at a short hall. He heard voices from where he came, so he moved and backed against the wall as an attempt to hide. As he further pressed himself to the side, he felt something creak. It wasn't a wall, but a door blanketed in ash. He wiped the center part with his hand and it revealed red letters:

**The Exhibition of Evil**

It was pitch-dark inside, but he was kind of used to it. Taehyun's eyes adjusted to the darkness and he can make out a few displays of remnants of villains, just like the Gallery of Good had with its heroes.

Shuddering as he remembers the paintings in the Good towers, he turned only to see the ones on Evil's.

Black-robed villains reveling in an inferno of infinite power, successful villains in their own fairy tales. He squinted as he tries to decipher the letters on top of the murals, flaming as if ignited by rage.

**N E V E R M O R E**

If Evers dreamt of love and happiness, Nevers sought a world of solitude and power.

Taehyun's eyes widen as he felt his heart beat with thrill; a truth that he was trying to bury in the depths of his mind suddenly pounces with newfound life.

_I'm a Never_.

This is why he couldn't do his challenges; this is why he dislikes the Evers and their actions; this is why he felt so _different_.

Because Beomgyu was right, they didn't belong in their schools. Beomgyu belongs with Good, Taehyun belongs with Evil.

And if they didn't get home soon, Beomgyu would realize.

At this place, they couldn't be friends.

Taehyun backed away and proceeded to leave. He needed to find Beomgyu.

He quietly peeked out the door he came in, and when he checked that the coast is clear, he made his way out and started roaming the halls in hopes of finding his friend.

He managed to avoid most patrolling wolves in the place, until he find himself in another dead end; he sees shadows of snouts coming from the hall in his left, and he heard low growls coming from the hall in front of him. Taehyun was scanning the place for somewhere to hide, but there seems to be none. He prepares himself to run, but before he could even take a step or the wolves could even spot him, he felt arms grab him from behind and pull him out to the balcony.

Taehyunfelt his heart double its beat, his breath uneven as he struggles against the hold.

"Hey! It's me, Hyun. It's me."

His heart beat tripled upon hearing the other's voice, contrary to his body that immediately relaxes.

Beomgyu removed his hands from Taehyun's mouth and waist, and pulled the other near the balcony's wall.

"Are you crazy? What if the wolves see you?"

Taehyun didn't answer and instead wrapped his arms around the other's middle.

"Hyun-"

Beomgyu froze, feeling droplets of tears drench his shirt as Taehyun quietly sobbed. He crawled an arm to the latter's waist and his other hand proceeded to softly brush the other's dark brown locks.

They stood still for a couple more minutes before Taehyun calmed down. Beomgyu pulled him to sit in the corner and they just sat there in silence, with Beomgyu rubbing soft circles on the other's knuckles.

"Hyunnie, what's wrong?" Beomgyu whispered, careful not to make any noise that patrolling wolves might hear. It's kind of a good thing that they were also hidden by the fog surrounding the towers.

"I want to go home, Beom."

_This again?_

"Why are you so obsessed with going back to that place?" His words had more venom to it than he intended, but he couldn't care less.

Beomgyu didn't understand. Beomgyu didn't want to understand. He knows that Taehyun knows he had been waiting for this his entire life, he knows the other understands him more than anyone does. But now that he's here, that _they're here_ , the other only talks about wanting to go home. And it makes him angry.

"No, you don't understand." Taehyun starts, "This place is going to drift us apart. Whether I'm an Ever and you're a Never, or I'm a Never and you're an Ever." Taehyun held both of Beomgyu's cheeks and fixed his gaze, "Beomgyu, we can't be friends in this world. That's why we have to go home."

Silence.

"Don't you trust me?" Beomgyu looked straight into Taehyun's eyes.

"It's not that-"

"Don't _you_ trust me?" Beomgyu pressed.

_"I do_." Taehyun says, eyes once again brimming with tears.

" _Ever or Never_ , I'm still your friend Taehyun. That will _never_ change. _I won't let it change._ " Beomgyu says, sincerity laced with every word he uttered as he wipes away the other's tears with his thumbs.

They sat in silence for hours after that; Taehyun slightly dozing off as he leans on the other's shoulder, as Beomgyu fidgets with the ring necklace on his hands.

"Now that I think about it, I don't remember ever meeting your mother." Taehyun softly whispers as he lets out a yawn.

Beomgyu shifts so the other was comfortable, "I was still young when she died. This was the only thing she left me."

"I'm sorry."

Beomgyu shook his head, "Don't be. Although, it's funny that this little thing keeps me sane." He smiles bitterly, "It reminds me that despite being here and being accused of Evil, my mother still believes that I'm Good. That as long as I know that I'm Good, it doesn't matter where I am."

Taehyun feels a pang of sadness at the other's words, so he grabs Beomgyu's hand and entwined it with his.

"You're Good, Beom. _You'll always be Good for me."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional Relationship Tag:  
> Choi Beomgyu / Choi Soobin
> 
> Additional Characters:  
> Ahn Hyejin  
> Moon Byulyi  
> Jung Hoseok


	6. Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We're friends!"

"The Goose. How'd ya do it?"

Beomgyu glared at the other pressing him against the wall, and didn't answer.

"Answer me or I'll pluck ya eyeballs out."

"You're expecting me to answer after locking me out of my room?" He rolled his eyes, "And here you thought _I_ was petty when it had been three days since that happened."

Jungkook raised his fist in an attempt to punch Beomgyu when San stopped him.

"Cut the crap already, Kook. You should use your brain sometimes." San said. Jungkook pulled away from him and stomped to his bed. He turned to Beomgyu, "Look, we just want to know how you did it."

Beomgyu groaned, "How am I supposed to know? It only promised to give me what I want, but I guess it lied."

"You _talked_ to it?" Jungkook blurted, unimpressed.

"Not exactly." Beomgyu shrugs, "I could hear its thoughts. You know since Evers can talk to animals."

"But not hear its thoughts." Bangchan chimed, "For that, your soul has to be a hundred percent pure."

"Then that's it! I'm 100% Good."

"Or 100% Evil, considering your _Talents_." San mused.

Beomgyu started laughing, "Do you even hear yourself? _Me_? 100% Evil? All because of a couple of _accidents_?"

"It's too big of an accident if you'd ask me. And too impressive at that."

"And here we all thought you were incompetent." Jungkook sneered, "When you were just a snake in sheep's clothing."

~

Beomgyu thought everything's clear with his roommates after their little confrontation, but of course, it's not. Jungkook is still glaring at him from his desk while Bangchan is still whispering who knows what at other Nevers. It's a bit of relief that San only keeps to himself, but he knows that the other has his tricks.

"There are different uses for capes," Professor Yoongi discusses, "It could be used for protection, invisibility, disguise, or flight. It all depends on the kind of fabric that it's made from, and requires a specific incantation for each type." Yoongi waves his hand and the students are blindfolded immediately. "For today's challenge, identify your cape's fabric, and put it to use."

"I didn't know magic was so complicated." one of the Nevers murmured, as he massages his cape to see if it was silk or satin.

Beside him, Bangchan replied, "And this is just capes! How would we do for spells?"

But if there was something Beomgyu likes, it's clothes. He feels the fabric and recognizes the snakeskin under his fingers. He mentally recited the incantation, and went invisible under his black cape. The feat earned him another top rank, and another look from Jungkook so lethal that he thought he would burst into flames.

_A snake in sheep's clothing._

~

When Taehyun arrived at his Grooming class, all the couches were already full. They are having their class in the Charity Common Rooms because their classroom is still having minor repairs after the incident. Since no one moved to make room for him, he decided to just sit on the floor when-

"Sit here!"

Yunho, the sweet, round-faced boy with sparkly eyes, scooted aside. As the other Evers exchanged glances and whispers, Taehyun made his way to squeeze in beside him, and mumbled, "They'll hate you now."

Yunho smiled, "Doesn't matter. I don't even understand how they manage to call themselves Good and proceed to be rude."

"Maybe because I almost burned down the school?"

"I doubt that. They're jealous because you can make wishes come true, while none of us can do that yet."

"It was an accident. Because if I really could make wishes come true, then I'd be back home with my friend and my cat." The thought of Hobak made him think of another subject, when his eyes caught sight of a red rose vase in the middle of the room. He suddenly remembers the red-haired boy that Yunho wished for. "Uh, how's that boy you wished for?" 

"Mingi?" Yunho's face fell, "He likes Hueningkai. Everyone likes Hueningkai." He shrugs, "But do you think he'll take me to the ball? Since Hueningkai would most likely be with Soobin."

"What Ball?" Taehyun frowned.

"The Evers _Dream Ball_! It's right before Christmas and every one of us has to find someone to take there or we're failed. We get ranked as couples based on presentation, demeanor, and dancing." Yunho explained, as Taehyun tries his best not to gag, "All of us could wish for Hueningkai or Soobin, but why do you think we didn't? We need to be practical like that."

Taehyun was about to respond when the doors flew open and Seokjin arrives in a beautiful Korean hanbok. Their conversation being cut off by the professor's discussion regarding proper diets.

But he wasn't able to process any of it as his mind drifts off. Dread creeping in his system at the thought of going to a Ball.

_It's just a Ball, right? I mean, what could go wrong?_

Taehyun immediately regretted that thought when he stood in his Chivalry class. Who was he kidding, he hated balls. But what he hated more was dancing in one.

"Every Good student must dance at the Ball." Jimin said, wobbling in the crutches underneath his armpits.

Taehyun tried not to breathe as the Valor Common Rooms reeked of leather and cologne with its brown couches. He thought of the School for Evil and he missed its graveyard stench that he had grown fond of during his one-time visit.

As Jimin led the Evers through the dances for the Evers Ball, Taehyun tried his best to follow with his clumsy steps. He couldn't seem to believe how the teacher was able to properly show them the steps despite being in crutches. (With which Taehyun was left wondering why the teacher's legs were disabled when he was perfectly standing tall and confident during the Welcoming.)

When Jimin ordered the fairies to play a song, Taehyun tried harder to concentrate. As he was flung around, partner to partner, the song goes faster and faster until his vision got blurry and all he could see was his friend before he blacked out.

Next thing he knew, he was on the floor.

"There are appropriate times for fainting. This is not one of them." Jimin scolded.

"I _tripped_." Taehyun gritted.

"It will be utter chaos once you fainted at the Ball."

"I. Don't. Faint."

~

Taehyun had no idea why lunch was a joint-school activity when Evers still sat with Evers and Nevers still sat with Nevers, all the while pretending that the other wasn't there. 

He found a shady patch of grass and settled down, reaching inside his basket to find a grilled cheese sandwich, vegetable salad, and sparkling lemon water. He was about to get a bite when-

Beomgyu snatched it, "You have no idea what I've been through." He took a bite, "Here's yours. Can't handle any of that junk anymore." He plunked down a pail of pig's feet.

"Why? What happened?" Taehyun asked.

"Nothing of importance, I'd say." Beomgyu answered.

The words were harmless but the way that the other pronounced it hold a bit of malevolence that Taehyun was surprised. Of course it wasn't obvious, but Taehyun knows Beomgyu enough to notice. He stared at Beomgyu's face, as if he was _lo_ _oking for something_ that would ease his racing thoughts.

As Taehyun stares at him, his eyes suddenly wandered off when he noticed some movement somewhere behind Beomgyu and he immediately frowned at the sight.

Beomgyu turned to look and saw Soobin staring at him, getting closer to where they've both been sitting. Beomgyu looked back at Taehyun and smiled sweetly.

"Thanks, _friend_."

"Hey there. Mind if I join you?" Soobin asked Beomgyu, dimples on display as he tenderly smiles on the other.

"Of course."

The prince didn't even spared the other a glance when he took a seat beside Beomgyu. Taehyun felt anger rise up in his chest when the prince leaned closer to Beomgyu, whispered something, and the latter giggled.

Taehyun felt stupid as he was staring at the two people flirting in front of him, their food long forgotten. He looked around, noticing Evers stifling their laughter as they looked at him. He turned to look at his friend, who was really into his conversation with Soobin that they seem to forget there was another person sitting with them. He wanted to say something; he wanted to scold the prince for meddling between him and his friend, he wanted to scold Beomgyu for acting like he isn't there. But then, he is suddenly struck by a thought that he desperately wants to bury.

_Did he just used me?_

~

When Surviving Fairy Tales came, Taehyun still kept quiet. He ignores both Beomgyu and Soobin and proceeded to listen. He thought that maybe he was being too clingy, and although he hated the idea, he still decided to give the two some space. If ever the two knows what space is with how close they've been for the past hour, that is.

"In the Woods, appearances are often deceiving." Hoseok starts, "Snow White nearly perished because she thought that an old woman was kind. Red Riding Hood found herself in a wolf's stomach because she couldn't distinguish a family from a fiend. No matter how much Good and Evil are disguised, they can always be told apart if you just look closely and _r_ _emember the rules_."

The challenge for that day involves a disguised Ever and Never, with which each student would identify whoever is Good and whoever is Evil based on their behavior. First rank will be given to the student with the fastest time in doing the challenge.

"For the record, I've never done any of those Evil rules. I only know Good my whole life." Beomgyu whispered to Soobin before the latter was pulled away by Hueningkai.

"Excuse me but Nevers shouldn't really talk to Evers. You're kind of getting off limits now." Hueningkai said as he smiles, a forced one.

Beomgyu raised an eyebrow, "You shouldn't really call an Ever Never."

Hueningkai looked confused, while Soobin bit back a smile as he pulled his arm away from the other's hold.

Once the other turned away, Soobin scooted closer to Beomgyu and whispered, "You have to prove that they switched you and the witch, by winning this challenge. I'll also personally go to Professor Moon to convince her."

"You'd do that for me?" Beomgyu asked, eyes wide.

"I admit that you look kind of good in black, but light colors suit a prince better. Besides, I can't flirt with you all day if you're on the other school."

Beomgyu swore he was blushing.

A Never volunteered to go first. When he tied the blindfold to his eyes, Hoseok waved his hand and two students, one Ever and one Never, magically slipped off their uniforms and turned into identical cobras. The Never took off his blindfold and stared at the reptiles in front of him.

"Well?" Hoseok asks, a bit impatient.

"Looks the bloody the same to me."

"Use the rules! Test them!"

"I don't even remember the rules!"

"Next!" Hoseok groaned.

For Bangchan's turn, he turned Hueningkai and another Never into unicorns. But then one unicorn started copying the other and vice versa. Bangchan gaped dumbly at the fiasco.

"Rule one! The Evil _attack_ , the Good _defend_. Now, which one started it?"

"Oh! Can I do it again?"

Hoseok runs his hand on his face, and proceeds to read at his scroll of names.

"Who would like to be disguised for Soobin?"

All the Evers raised their hand.

"Hm, you haven't gone yet." Hoseok pointed at Beomgyu, "You too." He turned to Taehyun.

"Piece of cake, even my grandmother could get this right." Soobin shrugs as he tied the blindfold.

Taehyun stood next to Beomgyu, and paid no attention to the latter's pink cheeks.

"Hyunnie, he doesn't care about the color of my uniform or the school I'm in. Because he knows who I really am." Beomgyu whispered.

"You don't even know him!" Taehyun faced his friend.

"Are you not happy for me?"

"He knows nothing about you Beom. All he sees is your good looks." Taehyun gritted his teeth.

"For the first time in my life, I feel like someone understands me."

Taehyun's chest tightened with hurt, "But what about- You said that-"

"You're a good friend, Taehyun." Beomgyu turned to meet his eyes, "And I told you, whether we're in different schools, we'll still be friends."

Taehyun looked away.

Hoseok waved his hand and the two of them grew into slimy, green goblins. "Soobin, you may start."

Soobin took his blindfold off and looked at the two of them; Beomgyu just smiled wide as he looks at his prince, while Taehyun slumped in defeat as the other's words throb in his head.

"It seems obvious." Soobin said as he eyes the smiling goblin, whose smile disappeared and turned into a confused frown. "That witch would do anything to trick me." He glanced at the other goblin, which rolled his eyes at how gullible the prince is.

"You need to feel with your heart, not your mind!" Hoseok scolded.

Soobin closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He hesitated, but he feels himself being pulled towards one of the goblins as he moved his feet and blindly touch the cheek of the goblin he chose.

"This one's Beomgyu." He opened his eyes, "This one's the prince."

Beomgyu gasped, eyes wide in shock as he sees Taehyun gaping back at him, the prince's palm resting on the latter's cheek.

"Am I right?" Soobin asks, but the whole group fell into silence.

"Why do you ruin everything!" Beomgyu screamed as he tackled Taehyun.

To everyone else, the words are pure gibberish, but Taehyun understood it just fine.

"See how stupid he is! He can't even tell us apart!" Taehyun snapped, trying his best to get out of Beomgyu's grip.

"You've been pulling tricks, have you? I thought you were my friend Taehyun-"

Soobin punched him in the face.

"Leave Beomgyu alone!"

Beomgyu was shocked, Soobin just punched him. His prince had just mistaken him for Taehyun. How could he prove himself?

_The rules._

Beomgyu dusted himself as he stood up, hands raised as if surrending. "Soobin, I _forgive_ you despite you punching me in the face. Despite your attack, I would only _defend_ myself. I only want to _help_ you realize your mistake, and we could go _give_ ourselves the lives we deserve. Lives that are supposed to be happy and in _l_ _ove_."

But all Soobin heard was a bunch of goblin mumbles, as he pushed Beomgyu away and ran to Taehyun, arms outstretched. "I still can't believe you're friends with him-"

Taehyun kneed him in the groin.

"Now I'm confused." Soobin said as he holds onto his part and collapsed.

From where he lies on the ground, he could see the two goblins hurling each other on the bushes. A bunch of grunts they can't understand can be heard. But no one dared to stop them as they seemed entertained by the friends' actions as they made bets on who is who.

"Go rot in Ttukseom alone!" Beomgyu screamed.

"I'd rather be alone than with a phony!" Taehyun shouted.

"Get out of my life!"

"You came into mine!"

Soobin wobbled and leapt between them-

"Enough!"

A bad decision though, as both the goblins pushed him hard enough for him to stumble back and land on boar crap.

Panting as they face each other, they slowly shrank down to their sizes, slimy skin becoming firm and smooth, large mouths turning into pretty lips. Slowly, they looked at their group that was gaping at them.

"Nice ending." Bangchan said.

Hoseok signalled his hand up, as if getting the group to silence, "When Good acts Evil and Evil acts incompetent, and the rules are broken too much that even I can not fathom which is which . . . then there's only one ending indeed."

Two pairs of iron boots magically grew on the boys' feet.

"What the-" Beomgyu frowned.

Then the shoes grew hot, blazing hot.

"Feet on fire!" Taehyun yelped as he started hopping.

"Make it stop!" Beomgyu cried.

"Unfortunately, fairy tale punishments have a mind of their own. They'll end once you two have learned your lesson. For everyone else, class dismissed." Hoseok orders.

The class followed behind him as they make their way back to the school gates, leaving Taehyun and Beomgyu dancing on their cursed shoes.

Soobin limped as he follows, the smell of slime and crap reeking his figure, but before he could proceed any further, he turned towards the two, "Now I see why you two are friends."

Hueningkai was quick to help him walk better, "Maybe both of them are actually Evil, like what the others say." And they left.

"You - know - this - is - your - fault!" Beomgyu lashed at Taehyun.

"Please - make - it - stop!" Taehyun begged. 

But the shoes show no mercy as it grew hotter by the minute, and the two couldn't even scream through the agony. It was a pitiful sight that even animals nearby couldn't bear to watch the suffering.

Afternoon turn to evening as the two lads danced like madmen; soles burning, as if the heat was ripping off their skin and fire would replace their veins. Until they resort to wishing that the suffering would stop, at any cost that even death seems plausible. And when they were about to surrender to the cruel hands of death, a blinding light beamed and the shoes went cold.

Both of them collapsed on the ground with heavy breaths.

"Do you want to go home now?" Taehyun asks.

Beomgyu stares at the dark sky above him.

"I thought you'd never ask."

~

As the two schools slept, two heads surfaced outside in the black moat. Beomgyu and Taehyun studied the thin silver tower that divides the lake from sludge and they took note of their options.

"It's too far to swim, besides there are armed wolves guarding the base." Beomgyu said.

"And it's also too high to climb, and there are fairies guarding the top." Taehyun responds.

"Are you really sure he's up there?"

"I am. I told you, I saw him."

"Okay, then he's got to help us. I can't go back to that place."

"Any ideas how to get up there, or how to get out of here?"

The two boys thought about various plans to escape:

  
A. Going out into the woods was dangerous and they pointed out that it is called the _Endless_ Woods for a reason.

B. Looking for enchanted broomsticks or magic carpets that could fly them over the forest, but then questioned on which direction they should go to. 

C. Leaving bread crumbs is stupid.

They ponder over for almost an hour until they have only one choice left.

"We really need to get up there." Taehyun decides.

"How are we going to do that?" Beomgyu furrows his eyebrows.

Taehyun recalled his classes, but there was never a time when they were taught about something that could be useful for their current situation. He thought over their plans, and an idea came to mind.

"I have an idea, but I don't know if you'll like it."

A short while later, they were back in the Blue Forest, hiding behind a cerulean bush as they eye a nest of big black eggs surrounded by five sleeping skeletal stymphs.

"Taehyun, what the _heck_ are you doing? Get back here."

Taehyun ignored him as he carefully manuevers towards the stymphs, also ignoring the blood, flesh, and bones of a goat littered on the grounds.

"As soon as they attack, we jump on."

"Are you crazy? Did the shoes burnt your brain?" Beomgyu hissed.

As Taehyun got closer to the nest, he noticed the stymphs' jagged teeth, and spiky bones. He suddenly doubt his plan and was about to back away when he tripped on a branch and fell on a goat leg with a crack.

His heart stopped when he suddenly made eye contact with one of the stymphs.

_Unless a villain wakes them up._

Taehyun stared at the waking creatures, heart pounding in his chest with growing fear.

_I can't give up now, not when Beomgyu wants to go home with me._

A fresh wave of adrenaline came to his system when he thought of the other. And as he let his adrenaline take over, he sprang up, ran to the nest and snatched an egg, but before he could go back to the bush where his friend is-

Beomgyu gaped at the sight he's seeing.

"Hey, that tickles!" Taehyun giggled as the stymphs nuzzle him like puppies.

Beomgyu rolled his eyes, "Really Hyun? We don't have time for this."

"Sorry. Your turn. Be careful." Taehyun handed the egg to him.

"Oh please, if they like you, then they'll try to mate with me. Animals worship princes-"

When Beomgyu took a step closer, the stymphs unleashed a war cry and charged him.

Beomgyu threw the egg back at Taehyun and ran away, but the stymphs still followed him.

"What's your plan again?" Beomgyu shouted as he continues to run, until the birds eventually knocked into each other after running in circles.

Beomgyu panted as he put his hands to his knees. When a stymph lunged for him again, he kicked it's bony skull for it to back away.

"Get on, you dimwit!"

Beomgyu turned to Taehyun, who was now perched on one of the stymph's back, " _That's your plan_? To ride that thing when it chased me to death?"

"You got any better ideas?" Taehyun scoffed.

A squawk was heard and both of them turned to see the other stymphs recovering and already on their feet, starting to charge for the blond one.

"Fine!" Beomgyu quickly perched himself up behind the other.

"Hang on tight!" Taehyun yelled as he kicked the bird's thighbones, and the bird thrashed up to flight. It somersaulted over the bay in an attempt to rid of the boys on its back, as four more stymphs launched from the forest in murderous pursuit. 

"This is the worst plan ever!" Beomgyu screamed as he held onto Taehyun's waist.

Hearing the squawks and screams, the fairies and wolves squinted into the sky, only to see the intruders vanish into the fog.

"There's the tower!" Taehyun pointed when a silver spire appeared into the mist.

A wolf's arrow almost grazed Beomgyu's leg, and fairies stormed out the fog while shooting webs from their mouth. A dozen more arrows and webs was hurled at them as the stymph dove and spun to avoid each one.

The two of them held on tight at the stymph's bony body, as if their lives depended on it because technically, it does.

"We're going to die!" Beomgyu screamed.

"Just hold on!" Taehyun bellowed.

The stymph zoomed towards the tower wall, moving to crash them off. But when they came closer, Taehyun saw a window glint through the fog. He turned at Beomgyu, who seems that he saw it too.

"Now!" Taehyun screamed, and Beomgyu listened as they held each other's hand.

Golden nets shot from every direction, and the stymph screeched. Watching as it plunge to its death, the fairies turned to looked at one another.

There were no riders on its back.

~

Although Taehyun was sure that they crash landed inside the window, he never felt himself hitting the hard floor and instead, somewhere firm and warm. The warmth was so familiar and he feels a surge of relief wash his system.

_This is weird, maybe I'm dead and already in heaven._

He inhales and the smell of lavender and musk filled his nose. _Heaven smells nice_. He was about to nuzzle on the thing the scent came from when-

"You can get off of me now, Tyun."

Taehyun's eyes fluttered open and he found himself on Beomgyu's chest, one of the latter's hand is on his head and the other is still tightly holding his. Upon making eye contact with the other, Taehyun's face flushes with embarrassment as he pushed himself up, immediately diverting his gaze elsewhere as he mumbles an apology.

Beomgyu sat up not long after, groaning at the movement as he tries to stretch the growing back pain away. He took a look around the chamber they're in, and Taehyun follows.

"Hello?" Taehyun called. Echoes died unanswered.

The two of them stood up and explored the shadowy room where stone bookcases covered the gray brick walls. The bookcases were packed from top to bottom with colorful bindings and Beomgyu dusted one of them. _Thumbelina, The Frog Prince, The Twelve Dancing Princesses_ . . . All of the books that the children in Ttukseom have read. He glanced at Taehyun, who seemed to have made the same discovery at the other side of the room.

They were standing in a library of every fairy tale that was ever told.

Taehyun opened up _Beauty and the Beast_ and saw the beautiful paintings like the ones in the castle walls, and writings in an elegant script like the ones in the bindings. He opened up more books and found that they too had been written by the same hand.

"Hyunnie, look at that."

Taehyun followed Beomgyu's gaze to the darkest part of the room. Squinting, they could make out a white stone table pressed against the wall. But what caught their attention was a long, thin dagger dangling in midair on top of it. Taehyun ran his fingers on the smooth surface of the stone, recalling the blank headstones back at his house; while Beomgyu inspects the knife that floats eerily still above the white slab.

Until he noticed that it wasn't a knife at all.

"It's a pen." He says softly.

It was made of pure steel and shaped like a knitting needle, and lethally sharp on both ends. An inscription ran on one side of the pen, unbroken letters from tip to tip

ᏗᏰ ᎥᎷᎧ ᎮᏋፈᏖᎧᏒᏋ

Suddenly, the pen glowed blinding gold rays in every direction. Taehyun turned away, but when he turned back, he saw Beomgyu climbing onto the table.

"Beomgyu, no!"

Beomgyu walked towards the pen, eyes wide and body rigid as if he was _hypnotized_. All he could see was the shimmering silver pen as his surroundings dissipated into blurs of gray. The unknown words mirrored in his eyes and he felt that deep down, he understood what it meant. He reached for the tip.

"Don't!" Taehyun yelled.

Beomgyu's skin kissed ice-cold steel, almost piercing through his flesh-

Taehyun tackled him and both of them crashed onto the table. The impact making Beomgyu snap out of his trance.

"What-"

"You were about to touch it!" Taehyun cut him off.

"Why would I touch a-"

His eyes drifted up to the pen, which was no longer still. Taehyun held his breath as it dangled in front of their faces, darting back and forth as if weighing who to kill first.

"Don't move." Taehyun said between clenched teeth.

The pen seared hot red and both boys managed to get off the table before the pen plunged towards them, only to see the razor-sharp nib float atop the stone table. A puff of black smoke appeared and revealed a book, cherry-red color binding greeting them. It magically flipped the cover open and began writing on the blank page.

_"Once upon a time, there were two boys."_

The same elegant script as the other books. A beginning of a new fairy tale.

Beomgyu and Taehyun gaped from the floor, terrified.

"Now that's odd." said a gentle voice.

The two boys whipped their heads around, but no one was there.

"Students at my school train for years, venture into the Woods, fight vicious battles and seek their Nemesis . . . _hoping_ for the Storian to write their story."

They stood up and looked around again, but there was no one else in the room. Taehyun seeks out to grab Beomgyu's hand, holding it tightly for support. Until they saw their shadow merge on the wall, into the crooked shadow that kidnapped them. They spun slowly.

"And here it is, starting a story for two untrained, unskilled first-years who got nothing else to do but intrude." said the School Master.

He wore silver robes that hung over his tall, slender figure. A complete contrast over his crooked shadow on the wall. He wore a rusted crown over the mop of grayish blue hair. A gleaming silver mask covered half of his face, only revealing a pair of twinkling gray eyes and full lips curled into a mischievous smile. 

"It must suspect a good ending."

The Storian dove to the page.

_"One was beautiful and beloved, while the other was a lonely hag."_

Beomgyu kept quiet as he scans the Storian, and the School Master. He could feel Taehyun slightly trembling in his hold and he unconsciously proceeded to rub soft circles against the other's knuckles.

_The kidnapping must have took a toll on him._

The School Master looked at them with a studying gaze.

"Readers are unpredictable, I must say. Although some have been our greatest students, most are actually embarrassing failures." He turned his back from the boys. "But you two just show how confused Readers have become."

Beomgyu's eyes widen. _T_ _his is our chance, should I tackle him down_?

Beomgyu stepped forward, but Taehyun tugs him back.

"Many of the faculty say that I kidnap you, steal you, take you against your will," the School Master starts.

Beomgyu frowns, Taehyun shooks his head.

"But they don't know anything. They don't know that I actually _free_ you."

"I thought you want to go back!" Beomgyu hissed through gritted teeth.

"I do, but what if he hurt you? We don't know his tricks." Taehyun whispered.

"You deserve to live extraordinary lives." The School Master muses.

Beomgyu forcefully removes Taehyun's hold on his arm and proceeded to move towards the School Master before the other could stop him.

"You deserve the chance to know _who you truly are_."

Beomgyu abruptly stopped right in front of the School Master, who turned to face him. The latter looked straight into his eyes, as a grin formed in his lips. Beomgyu grimaced as he tried to move but he seems to be paralyzed with an unknown force.

"I thought you'd want to switch schools."

Beomgyu stopped struggling.

Taehyun was quick to answer, "No, we'd like to go home." Nervousness was evident in his voice.

" _Can_ we switch schools?" Beomgyu asks quietly but everyone in the room heard. Taehyun's eyes widen in disbelief.

The School Master smiled as he reached to touch Beomgyu's cheek, "No."

Beomgyu glared, "Then we'd like to go home."

_"Lost somewhere far, the two boys wanted to go home."_ The Storian noted.

"Well, we have sent students home before." The School Master caresses Beomgyu's cheek, "Those who suffered from illnesses, or mentally incapacitated, or family influence . . . "

"So you _can_ send us home." Taehyun beamed.

"Indeed, I could. _If only you weren't in the midst of a fairy tale._ " The School Master eyed the pen across the room. "Once the Storian begins your story, you must follow wherever it takes you. Which gives us one question:

'Will your story take you home?'"

The Storian plunged itself onto the page.

_"How naive the two boys are, believing they could escape but they are trapped for eternity."_

"So there's no way that we could go home?" Taehyun asked, shoulders slumping.

"Not unless it's your ending. Although I doubt that you could go home together since you're fighting from opposing sides." The School Master taunts.

"We don't want to fight!" Beomgyu answered, surprising the School Master. Beomgyu took the opportunity of being freed from his spell and ran back to where Taehyun is standing.

"We're on the same side!" Taehyun defends.

"We're friends!" Beomgyu said, clasping Taehyun's hand tightly.

" _Friends_!" The School Master marveled, gray eyes glinting with mischief, "Well, that changes things. A prince and a witch cannot be friends in our world. It's unnatural, _impossible_ even. But if you are indeed friends . . . Then Taehyun is not a prince, and Beomgyu is not a witch."

"Exactly! Because I'm a prince, not a witch-" Beomgyu started but Taehyun pinched him.

"Why can't we just be in the same school? None of us is Evil." Taehyun questions.

"Ah but that's what _you_ think. The Woods must always remain balanced." The School Master glanced outside the lone window, "But if both of you feel that way, then clearly I've got it all wrong."

Taehyun couldn't contain his excitement, "So we can go home now?"

"There aren't really any proof that I'm wrong now, don't you think?"

"I already tried proving that I'm not a villain!" Beomgyu said.

"And I tried proving that I'm not a prince!" Taehyun adds.

"But your first place ranks doesn't really support that, does it?" The School Master grins.

The two boys froze, and glanced at each other questioningly. But before either of them could speak-

"In this world, there's only one way to prove who you are."

The Storian stopped writing, as if sensing a critical moment. The School Master turned towards them, eyes so fierce that the boys tightened their hold on each other's hands.

"What's the one thing Evil can _never_ have . . . and the one thing Good could never live _without_."

The boys furrowed their eyebrows.

"So we solve your riddle, and we go home?" Beomgyu asks.

The School Master turned away, "I trust I wouldn't see either of you up here again, unless you want a rather depressing ending to your fairy tale."

Suddenly, the room started disappearing in streaks of white, as if the scene was being removed right before their eyes.

"Wait! What are you doing!" Taehyun cried.

The bookshelves vanished, then the walls-

"How do we answer the riddle! How do we find you!" Taehyun yelled.

Beside him, Beomgyu was staring at the Storian furiously writing to keep up with their story. The pen sensed his gaze, for the inscription seared red and Beomgyu's heart burned with secret understanding. He held Taehyun's hand tighter until his knuckles turn white.

"We were fine without you! Stay away from us! Stay out of our lives! You hear me! Steal children from other villages and leave us alone!" Taehyun screamed, desperation and anger in his tone.

The last thing they see was the School Master smiling at them, back against the window.

"What other villages?"

The ground vanished and both of them felt like free-falling in a pit of darkness, the School Master's last words ringing in their ears, along with the sounds of howls and bells signalling the start of classes.

And they woke up, blinded by sunlight and in a pool of sweat. Taehyun looked for Beomgyu, Beomgyu looked for Taehyun. Only for them to realize that they were in their own beds, in towers far apart.


	7. Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Love."

Their day was already bad enough due to lack of sleep, but the fact that they were in mismatched schools makes it worse.

As both of them make way to their own respective classes, they only had one goal in mind:

To solve the School Master's riddle.

And in order to do so, they'd have to tolerate the looks and snickers being thrown at them due to the Goblin incident, and survive until Lunch.

~

"You really need to help me this time."

Beomgyu stood in front of his roommates before their Uglification class starts. The other Nevers around him are either ignoring him, or exchanging remarks regarding yesterday's 'show'.

"What is it?" Bangchan chimed, interested.

"Ya really think I'd help a _snake_ like ya? Ya could choke and I'll even throw a party." Jungkook scoffed.

Beomgyu rolls his eyes, "If you really want to get rid of me that much, then you'd have to help me now."

Jungkook ignores him, San shrugs and went back to reading his book, while Bangchan stares at him, waiting for him to continue.

Beomgyu leaned closer to Bangchan's ear, "I met the School Master."

"You what! Are you for real?" Bangchan exclaimed, piquing Jungkook's and San's interest as they also leaned closer to eavesdrop.

"Yes, now shut up. He gave me and Taehyun a riddle last night when we managed to get into his tower. If we solve this riddle, then he'd send us back home." He briefly glanced at his side and noticed the other two listening, "If we don't then we're stuck here, and I'll continue to win these stupid challenges because I'm just good at everything."

Jungkook was about to strangle him right then and there when the other's words finally sink in.

"Wait, if ya answer the riddle . . . Ya go home?"

Beomgyu grinned and nodded.

"And we never have to see you again?" San asked.

Beomgyu nodded again.

Jungkook and San looked at each other.

"What's the School Master like?" Jungkook asked.

"I think he's old, but he's kind of tall and slender."

"Did you see the Storian there?" San asked.

"That strange pen? It wrote about us the whole time."

The three boys laughed. Beomgyu creased his forehead in confusion.

"I knew you were messing with us. The kind of lies that the Greatest Witch says is almost convincing, it's laughable!" San sneers.

"What could happen in school that's actually worthy of a fairy tale?" Bangchan added.

"It's the truth!" Beomgyu defends.

"Whatever, buttercup. Ya say ya good at everything, ya solve it yaself." Jungkook smirks and threw his book at Beomgyu's face.

~

On the other hand, Taehyun couldn't turn a corner without seeing Soobin and his mates mimicking the goblin scene, howling gibberish, and beating each other with pumpkins.

Wherever he went, Soobin and company followed, teasing and mocking and grunting at the top of their lungs until he couldn't tolerate it anymore. He snatched a pumpkin and shoved it on Soobin's chest.

"This is your fault! So don't go around acting all mighty and cool when it was you who chose me! _You chose me,_ you airhead piece of lumber!"

Soobin gaped dumbly as Taehyun stormed off.

"You chose the witch?" asked Mingi.

Soobin turned to see them staring, and shrugs, "He's a witch, he tricked me."

Time quickly passed by yet Taehyun remained impatient. He wanted to figure out how to solve the riddle quickly, but his classes make it hard for him to concentrate. That's why he was grateful when he didn't have his Animal Communication class, the reason is that Princess Yongsun has still not recovered from her sickness, according to Professor Moon. (With which he earned looks from his classmates, since his Wish Fish incident was certainly responsible.)

While other Evers went to the Groom Room or snuck around stalking their crushes, Taehyun went to the Gallery of Good, hoping that he could find something to help him solve the riddle.

This time, he looked around carefully, scanning each sculpture, remnants, and stuffed animals. His mind drifts off to what the School Master has declared, as if it's an established law: a witch and a prince cannot be friends.

But _why_?

He thought about what it could be until his neck prickled red, and still, no answer came to mind.

As Taehyun proceeds further into the Gallery, his eyes drifted to the painting he saw on his first day at the school. He took his time in scanning the painting of Ttukseom, the feeling of homesickness prickling his skin, when he caught sight of a signature at the bottom of the work.

"Professor Namjoon."

He tilts his head in confusion. It was his teacher for the History of Heroism, his next class. _Why would he have a painting of Ttukseom?_

Despite his confusion, he moved on to the next painting, curiosity lingering in his veins. As he did, he noticed the landscape changing, evolving to the next frame as if it was the next scene in a movie: more stores sprang up in the square, the church undergo repairs, windmills rose behind the lake; until the village began to look like the one he had left.

Taehyun's confusion only grew, yet the desperation for answers make him continue. He drifted along the paintings until one made him stop.

As children read storybooks on the benches of the town square, there was a specific girl he paid attention to, highlighted by what seemed to be a spotlight from the clouds. He took a closer look and realized who it was. It was _Alice_ , a blond haired daughter of the village mayor whose beauty was bright as a sunflower. She was taken eight years ago. Across the painting, another spotlight was directed at another girl, _Iracebeth_ was the name, as Taehyun recalls. She was also beautiful but was left alone by her family most of her days, and spent her time inflicting hurt and breaking the hearts of her suitors. She was also taken that year.

On the next painting, children were lining up in front of Mr. Bang's bookstore, and the sun illuminated thin Yongbok and handsome Seungmin. They were taken four years ago.

Slightly trembling, Taehyun slowly turned to the last painting. As children read on their porches, two boys were near the lake watching the sunset, spotlight gleaming over them. A boy in black standing with a frown on his face as he looks at the boy in pastel sitting while looking back and reaching for the other's hand.

Taehyun's eyes widen with recognition. It was the afternoon before they were taken. He dashed back through the row of paintings, noticing that in each one, two children were chosen by the light: one bright and fair, the other lonely and grim.

He stepped back, looking all the paintings at once, paintings that told him something about this Professor Namjoon.

_He knows why children were brought here from Ttukseom._

_He can move between these two worlds._

_So if that's the case, he could help us go home._

His thoughts were interrupted when fairies rang the bells for the next class. Taehyun rushed to the Swan Theater and sat beside Yunho, completely ignoring Soobin and his friends playing handball near the front of the stone stage.

"Mingi is ignoring me." Yunho sulked, "Maybe he thinks I'm weird now since I talked to you-"

"Where's Namjoon?" He asked the other.

"That's _Professor_ Namjoon." Said a voice.

He looked up and saw a handsome white-haired teacher giving him a cryptic smile, dimples in full display as he ascended the stage in his dashing gray suit and vest. Taehyun remembered that he was the professor smiling at him when he came into the castle for the first time.

"To inform everyone, I teach fourth session both here and in Evil and unfortunately, I cannot be in two places at once." He starts, clasping the lectern, "Thus, I'll be alternating weeks between schools. And during those times that I wouldn't be present, you'll have former students share their experiences in the Woods and conduct your weekly challenges. Given that I am responsible for a vast amount of students and history alike, I do not hold office hours nor will I answer your questions inside or outside of class."

Taehyun frowned. _I haven't even made a move and now it's already prohibited._

"But if you do have questions," Namjoon said, black eyes unblinking, "you'll surely find the answers in your text _A Student's History of the Woods_ , or in my other authored books that are available in the Library of Virtue. Now to roll call, Hueningkai?"

"Yes."

"One more time, please?"

"Right here!"

"Thank you. Yunho?"

"Present!"

"Again, Yunho."

"I'm here professor!"

Taehyun groaned, at this rate, they'd be here 'til dinner.

"Excellent. Soobin?"

"Here."

"Louder, Soobin."

"Good grief, is he deaf?" Taehyun mumbled.

"No, dude," Yunho lightly laughed, "He's _blind_."

Taehyun snorted, "Don't be ridicu-"

Yunho shrugged, Taehyun's eyes widen.

_The matching names to voices. The way he gripped the lectern._

Taehyun looked at his professor, and noticed the glassy eyes.

"No . . . " Taehyun shook his head is disbelief, "He's seen us! He's seen Ttukseom!"

That's when Professor Namjoon met his eyes and smiled, as if reminding him that he'd never seen anything at all.

~

Beomgyu decided to just figure things out on his own since his roommates were of no use. And that's when he found himself in the Evil Hall, looking at the portraits of villains, thinking about what could they possibly never had.

Moving along, he ended up looking at a series of chipped marble murals built in the walls, covered in emerald algae and blue rust, making the hall look like an underwater cathedral with its sea-green torch flames.

He stopped and scanned one of the murals. It depicts two young men in a castle chamber, keeping watch over the enchanted pen that he had seen in the School Master's tower. One of them wore long black robes, and the other wore white. Beomgyu creased his forehead in confusion as he make out the identical handsome faces, grayish blue hair and gray eyes.

His eyes widen in realization.

_There were two School Masters? And they're twins?_

He looked at the two figures in the mural. The white-robed one's face was gentle and warm, while the black-robed one's was icy and hard. Although something inside him screams that the faces look familiar, he brushed it off.

He crossed his arms as he thinks.

_One of them is Good, and the other is Evil. That's why everything is balanced._

_But then, why does Good always win now?_

_And more importantly, where is the other School Master?_

Beomgyu moved to the next mural, more intrigued and more curious in finding the answers for his questions.

The mural depicts of the Evil one that was attacking his brother with a barrage of spells. Beomgyu notices an inscription at the bottom.

_The Great War._

Even more confused since he doesn't know the event, he glanced at the last mural and saw the _current_ School Master in his silver robes, standing above people bowing to him, the Storian floating above his hands. He stared at the engraved letters on the pen, and like what happened in the tower, Beomgyu felt something inside him twitched.

He dashed to the Library of Vice, ignoring the howls of wolves. Once he entered, he immediately searched for a book that could tell him about the so-called war. And when he found one, he quickly grabbed it and went to his Curses Class.

In between Lady Wheein's discussions about famous Nemeses, Beomgyu found out a lot more things.

The Great War started because the Evil twin thought he could control the Storian, and make Evil invincible. He sets out to destroy his brother, and everyone took a side between Good and Evil. And in the final battle, someone won.

The painting in the book shows a sea of Evers and Nevers bowed before a Masked School Master with the Storian, just like the last mural he saw at the halls.

It was a mystery on who won the war. But since then, Evil hasn't won a single story.

Beomgyu concluded that the Good brother won, since the Storian wrote of villains losing and dying. He thought that it was a waste teaching Evil if the stories were controlled by Good.

And if the Storian started their fairy tale, and the Storian thinks that he's a villain, then the ending was obvious.

~ 

"We need to go home now." Beomgyu greeted as he slumped down beside Taehyun during Lunch. "The entire school avoids me like plague, my roommates hate me, and I'm acing my classes without doing _anything."_ He groaned, reaching over Taehyun's basket to grab a piece of clubhouse sandwich, "I can't believe I'm cursed and I don't even know about it!"

Taehyun giggled at the other's rants, peeking over at Beomgyu's pail only to find it filled with gruel.

"Any luck with the riddle?" Taehyun asks.

"I wish, but all I ever heard in my classes are supposedly famous villains I never even heard of. I mean, who the heck is Finola the Fairy Eater?" Beomgyu took a bite of the sandwich, "And apparently, that was the reason why everyone hates me there. Because I told them I was sorry that no one likes them, and no one reads a book where Evil wins."

"You're really getting yourself in trouble if you keep up with that." Taehyun warns.

"What would they do? Give me a wart?" The two of them laughs, "How about you Tyun?"

"Professor Namjoon may have an idea. He has these paintings of Ttukseom but I was not able to ask him earlier." Taehyun said as he grabbed a spoonful of gruel, "There's something that doesn't fit right here, and he may be the only one who can help us."

"Better hurry. My days are numbered." Beomgyu said glumly.

Taehyun turned to look at him, confused by his statement, but he caught sight of a prince he despised. The prince was staring at Beomgyu with a blank expression on his face, but Taehyun could see a hint of longingness behind the façade. He raised an eyebrow when their eyes met, and the other quickly made a stoic expression and turned back to his friends.

Beomgyu didn't notice it though, too preoccupied by his thoughts and his sandwich.

"What are you saying?" Taehyun asks Beomgyu, and when the latter didn't respond, he gently pokes his cheek.

"Huh? Oh." Beomgyu sighs, "There's just something that bothers me."

Taehyun held his hand and gave it a little squeeze, encouraging the other that he will listen. That he will _always_ listen.

Beomgyu smiled a little at the action, and took a deep breath, "Let's say that _we are in the right schools_ and our story _r_ _eally_ started." Taehyun nodded, not certain where the conversation would go, "Good has been winning for 200 years, correct? If we follow that pattern . . . Then _we're not_ going home together Taehyunnie."

_What_ . . . 

Taehyun shook his head, refusing to believe.

"Are you saying you're going to _die_?"

"Villains _die_ , Hyunnie, that's why Good _wins_."

"That doesn't make any sense! You're not a villain, Gyu. You're my _friend_. You can't be the villain in our story if we're friends." Taehyun felt his heart sinking at the thought of losing Beomgyu.

"That's why the School Master said we _can't_ be friends." Beomgyu states, he reaches for an apple parfait next, "Because something has to come between us. Something that answers the riddle."

Taehyun finally understood what his friend was thinking about, as he dismissed the growing sadness he felt and let the gears in his mind work.

"What could possibly come between us?" Taehyun wonders, "I think it's all connected. The thing that Good has and Evil doesn't might be the reason why Good always wins."

"Oh this is good." Beomgyu exclaims after a bite of the dessert, "I think I know now, Evil doesn't have desserts that's why they're always bitter losers." He jokes but Taehyun pinches him, "I'm kidding! But now that I think about it, I remember Lady Wheein saying that Evil _used_ to win, and now Good has something that beats them all."

"The School Master forbade us to return to his tower. So the answer couldn't be a word or a thing or an idea."

"Surely it must be _something_!" Beomgyu groaned, brushing his hair with his fingers.

"Hey, we're getting somewhere." Taehyun proceeds to count, "One, it's something that can turn us against each other. Two, it's something that beats Evil every time. Three, it's something we can physically do-"

Beomgyu's eyes widen with realization, and he turned to look at Taehyun, who has the same expression on his face.

"I got it!" Taehyun exclaimed.

"Me too!" said Beomgyu.

"It's so obvious."

" _So_ obvious."

"It's- it's-"

"Yeah, it's-"

"I have no idea."

"Me either."

The two of them laughed at their silliness.

"This is going to take a while, is it?" Beomgyu muses, and stops. His eyes diverted somewhere on his right, on _someone_.

Taehyun follows where the other's eyes landed on, and found Soobin walking with Hueningkai towards the Blue Forest. He looks back at his friend, an unreadable expression resting on his face.

"I'm sorry about your prince." Taehyun says softly.

Beomgyu shook his head, "You did nothing Tyun."

"But your happy endi-"

"My happy ending would be getting home alive with you." Beomgyu held his hand and smiled at him.

Despite the sincerity in the other's tone, Taehyun could hear the sadness in it. He could see the gloomy fog that clouds the other's brown eyes. But as he felt the warm hand on his, he brushes the thoughts aside because he knows his friend is right.

But what Taehyun doesn't know is that Beomgyu is good at holding a grudge.

"And regarding that, I think I have some interesting information that could help us."

~

"Over the years, I've seen a disturbing decrease in esteem for this class." Professor Byulyi started when she found the drowsy expressions on her students in the Purity Common Rooms. 

"Because it's after lunch." Soobin whispers into Taehyun's ear.

Taehyun ignored him.

"What kind of witchy spell did you put on me to make me choose your goblin?"

Taehyun rolls his eyes, "Why are you even talking to me?"

"Because you did _something_. Tell me what you did." Soobin presses.

"Can't divulge a witch's secrets." Taehyun retorts, gazing ahead as he tries to concentrate on Professor Moon's words.

"I knew it!" Soobin exclaimed, but he was immediately met with a glare from the teacher, he only smiled at her before leaning over towards Taehyun again, "Tell me, and my boys will leave you alone."

"Does that include you?"

"Just tell me what you did."

Taehyun sighed, "It's called the Masurisuri Spell, originated from the Hobakled Wizards of Ttukseomia, which are a small coven from the Land of Ooo that has expertise in-"

"What you did." Soobin gritted.

"Well," Taehyun starts, turning to Soobin with a blank expression on his face, "The Masurisuri Spell is pretty harmless. It only infects your brain like malignant cancer cells as it breeds, multiplies, and snoozes, waiting for the right moment to strike. Once it hooks itself to every piece of nerve cell in your body . . . _ssssppt_! It sucks away your every intelligent thought and leaves you dumb as a donkey's ass. If you haven't yet, that is."

Soobin's face went red.

"Another thing: It's permanent." Taehyun said, before turning away.

While Soobin mumbled about hangings, stonings, and other ways his father punished wicked witches, Taehyun listened to Professor Moon as she discusses the importance of Good Deeds.

"Every time you do a Good Deed with true intention, your soul grows purer. But lately, I could see my Good students doing them as if it were chores. Why would you prefer cultivating your egos, arrogance, and waist sizes, if the thing on the inside isn't fostered the right way. Go on like this, and our winning streak can end at any time!"

"It wouldn't end if the School Master controls the Storian." Taehyun said.

"Taehyun, the School Master has no role in how the stories play out. He _cannot_ control the Storian." Professor Moon declares.

"He seemed pretty good at magic to me."

"Excuse me?"

"He can split into shadows, make a room disappear. He can make all of this seem like a dream. Surely he can control a pen-"

"And _how_ might you know all this?" Professor Moon asks, forehead creased.

Taehyun saw Soobin smirking in his peripheral.

"He showed me."

Soobin's smirk vanished, Professor Moon looks like she would explode at any time, as his classmates glanced nervously between the two of them.

Their teacher forced out a smile, "Oh Taehyun, what an imagination you have. It will serve you well once you're on your journey in the Woods. Hoping you luck on that. Now, the three keys to Good Deeds are-"

Taehyun was about to reply, but then Professor Moon silenced him with a glare. Lips forming in a thin line, he pulled a parchment and took notes like the rest.

~

Before Surviving Fairy Tales, the students of both schools found themselves gathered in an assembly at the Clearing. Taehyun stood next to Yunho, who was staring at Mingi with a pout on his lips.

"Why the long face?" he asked.

"Mingi didn't even say hi." The other answered, and before Taehyun could utter a word, a hoarse voice roared above them.

"ATTENTION."

He looked up to find the entire faculty of both schools standing on a balcony that hangs between the narrow tunnels they use to get to the Clearing. That wasn't what caught his attention though, but the huge bear standing behind them, two bear heads poking out from its shoulders.

Professor Moon stepped forward, "There's been some-"

"Move your behinds or I'll set them on fire!" one of the bear heads roared towards the Evil tunnel, as the last few Nevers scrambled out.

One of them was Beomgyu. He gave Taehyun a confused look across the Clearing, in which Taehyun replied with a shrug.

Professor Moon resumed-

"Presenting Byulyi Moon, Dean of the School for Good and Professor of Good Deeds. Any interruptions will be given immediate punishments so I suggest everyone to shut their filthy pieholes!" the bear head roared again.

"Thank you Taehyung. That's enough scaring these children." Professor Moon said with a glare.

The bear head mumbled something before the two-headed bear shrunk down and revealed two separate bodies: a frowning Taehyung, and a crutch-less Jimin shaking his head.

Professor Moon cleared her throat, "We have called you here because there have been some unfortunate rumors-"

"I would say _lies_." Lady Wheein scowled.

"And we would like to clear it up. First, there is no curse in Evil. Evil still has the power to defeat Good."

"If they do their homework, they would." Professor Yoongi growled.

Nevers groaned.

"Second, the School Master is on no one's side."

"How do you know?", "Why should we believe you?" the Nevers shouted, followed by a dozen more.

"Because we have proof." Professor Namjoon declared. The Nevers went silent.

Taehyun's eyebrows furrowed. _Proof? What proof?_ He scanned the faces of the professors and judging by their sour looks, this proof does exist. _Is it the answer to the riddle?_

"Last, but not the least," Professor Moon continued, "the School Master's primary responsibility is to protect the Storian, which is why he remains in the safety of his well-fortressed tower." She eyes the students below, "Despite the stories you may hear, I assure you that no student has seen the School Master, and no student ever _will_."

Eyes fell on Taehyun.

"Ah, is this the storyteller?" Lady Wheein sneered.

"It's not a story!" Taehyun defends, he glanced at Beomgyu that was walking his way towards him.

Lady Wheein smiled, a glint of menace on her purple eyes, "I'll give you one more chance to redeem yourself. _Did you meet the School Master?_ "

Taehyun clutched his hand into a fist, "Yes."

"You dare _lie_ to a teacher!"

"But it's not a lie!" Beomgyu said as he stood next to Taehyun, and looked at his professor with sharp eyes, "We were both there! We were in his tower."

"So you saw the Storian too?" Hueningkai asked, voice with a hint of mockery. "And it started your fairy tale too?"

"What if it did? _Jealous_?" Beomgyu mocked back. 

Hueningkai was taken aback by the accusation because it felt like there was an underlying meaning to it, but he didn't back down, "Why would I be jealous of the King of Fools?"

"Oh right, you're the Grand Emperor."

Hueningkai huffs and crosses his arms, "You belong right in that rotting tower." He glanced at Taehyun, "And Good has never been so wrong."

"You wouldn't know Good if it crawled up your pants." Taehyun scoffed.

Hueningkai gasped dramatically that Soobin tried to stifle his laughter. The former just glared at him though and gestured him to do something.

"Hey! Don't talk to Kai like that." Soobin said, poor acting evident in his tone.

"Who? How surprising, prince." Taehyun exploded, "You're so far up your own ass that I didn't think you would step up for _anyone_. Do everyone a favor and marry yourself."

Soobin stopped his act and stared at Taehyun wide eyed. He glanced between Taehyun, Beomgyu, Hueningkai . . . until he lost patience and stormed towards Taehyun, but before he could grab him, a fist met with his jaw and he fell on the ground.

Before Soobin could even process the fact that Beomgyu punched him, and before the professors could intervene, the other Nevers had a much more interesting response.

"FIGHT!" 

Nevers rushed toward the Evers, catching the wolves and fairies off guard. The Everboys charged in as well, inciting an epic playground brawl that splattered Evergirls with mud. Taehyun laughed out loud at the helpless girls and thought them stupid for not even having a slight idea on defending themselves.

"This is your fault!" Jennie pointed at him, and the Evergirls charged after Taehyun. Taehyun then climbed a tree as the girls threw pebbles at him.

Beomgyu saw Taehyun running, and he immediately ran to follow and help, shoving Soobin to the side when he tried to approach him. But the other ran and followed him as well. Beomgyu clicked his tongue in annoyance as he picked up a fallen branch, hurling it towards the prince. But Soobin managed to dodge and the branch hit Lady Wheein in the face.

Students froze.

Lady Wheein touched her cold, gashed cheek and felt it wet with substance. She stared at the blood on her fingers, and closed her eyes, before opening it again to reveal her purple orbs seething with feigned anger. She pointed her bloody finger at Taehyun.

"Lock him in his tower!"

A swarm of fairies seized Taehyun and dragged him towards the Evers' tunnel, too shocked to struggle when a voice pulled him back to his senses.

"No! It's my fault!" Beomgyu called.

"And this one," Lady Wheein pointed at the blond boy, veins growing visible on her arms as her jaw clenched with rage, "To the Doom Room."

Before Beomgyu could process the words, a claw covered his mouth and pulled him past petrified classmates into the darkness of trees.

~

As fairies flew Taehyun up the stairs, his eyes welled with panicked tears, until he saw the teachers surging into the foyer.

"Professor Namjoon!" He called, blinking back his tears and clinging onto a banister, "You have to believe us! Beomgyu is not a villain! The Storian is going to kill him!"

Namjoon and the other teachers looked up, alarmed.

"You saw our village. How! How do we get home! What does Good have that Evil doesn't!" Taehyun cried while the fairies are pulling him away.

Namjoon smiled, "Questions. Always in threes." The teachers chuckled at that before they dispersed.

"You have to save him!" Taehyun begged, but the fairies dragged him to his room and locked him in.

Taehyun pounded on the door hard, and screamed his lungs out until he grew tired. He sat down and leaned back against the door, tears continuously flowing down his cheeks as he thinks of Beomgyu being punished.

He glanced around his room, searching for a way to get out, but his window was too high up in the tower and the glass murals were too thick to break.

He pulled on his hair out of frustration. Namjoon was their only hope and he refused to give answers. Now his only friend would suffer, and possibly _die_ in that dungeon, all because a magic pen had mistaken him for a witch.

Then something clicked in his head, something that Namjoon said in class.

_But if you do have questions . . ._

Frantic, Taehyun grabbed his basket of schoolbooks.

~

A gray wolf tugged Beomgyu by a long chain fixed to a tight iron collar around his neck. He would've tried to fight back but he could hardly breathe properly, and one wrong step could make him slip off the narrow path in the sewers and lead him into a roaring sludge.

Across the rotted black river, he saw two wolves dragging a Never from the direction in which he was headed. He met the other's eyes that was red-rimmed and brimming with hate. He gulped, terrified. Whatever happened in the Doom Room had left him more a villain than when he entered. 

_Taehyun_.

He tried taking deep breaths.

_Taehyun will get us home._

_I got to stay alive for Taehyun._

They approached the sewer's halfway point, where sludge turned to clear lake water, and the stone walls become rusty gratings. The wolf kicked the door open and shoved him in.

Beomgyu lifted his head to a dark dungeon, the light coming from a single torch in the middle of the room, and from what seemed like a forge for smithing tools on one side. He looked around and saw different tools for punishment: rack, stocks, nooses, hooks, and a collection of spears, clubs, knives, and axes. He turned away only to find two red eyes glowing from the corner.

Slowly, a big black wolf rose from the shadows. It was twice the size of all the other wolves, but this one had a human's body covered by thick hair and bulging muscles.

The Beast cracked open a scroll of parchment and read in deep growl.

"Beomgyu of Woods Beyond. You are summoned to the Doom Room for the following sins: Conspiracy to Commit Untruth, Disruption of Assembly, Attempted Murder of a Faculty Member-"

"Murder?" Beomgyu questioned.

"Incitement of Public Riots, Crossing of Boundary Lines During Assembly, Destruction of School Property, Harassment of Fellow Students, and Crimes Against Humanity."

"I plead not guilty to all charges." Beomgyu scowled, "Who even makes such ridiculous and petty claims?"

The Beast seized his face in his hands, " _Guilty until proven innocent_. The Never way."

"Let me go!" Beomgyu demanded.

The Beast sniffed his neck, "Aren't you a luscious peach."

"Shut up!"

Suprisingly, the Beast released him from the collar on his neck. He glared at the monster in front of him. He was scared but he doesn't want to show it. He has to be strong, for himself, for Taehyun. He kept his jaw taut, if he wants this to be over quickly, he has to endure everything.

As if sensing his submission, the Beast grinned and grabbed at fistful of his hair, dragging him across the room.

Beomgyu grunted through the pain, yet he didn't make a move to free himself. When the Beast slammed him against the wall, he only released a couple of pained grunts.

"Take off your clothes." the Beast ordered.

Beomgyu threw him another sharp glare between heavy breaths, "Don't get any ideas."

"Take them off or I'll rip it to pieces." The Beast growled. Beomgyu grudgingly took off his uniform coat and shirt and tossed it to the side, leaving him half bare with a silver accessory resting on his neck.

The Beast approached him and cuffed his wrists to a long chain hanging from the ceiling, making him vulnerable.

"It usually takes a beating to find the weak spot."

Beomgyu watch the Beast slunk along the wall, hunting for the right punishment. His heart was racing in his chest and he was near crying when the monster held a rusty spear, and hung it back.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, "Whatever I did, I'm sorry."

"Villains don't learn from apologies," the Beast responds while he held an axe for a moment, then moved on.

"Please, spare me." Beomgyu whispered, pleading.

"Villains learn from pain. Pain makes you stronger." the Beast said as he makes his way back towards the boy, a long leather whip in his claws.

"Please! I'm sorry!"

"Pain makes you grow." The Beast grabbed his cuffed wrists and forced him to turn around.

"No, please . . . " Beomgyu started trembling.

"Pain makes you Evil." The Beast whispered in his ear.

A couple seconds of silence went by before a loud crack of the whip was heard and leather slaps his skin. Beomgyu let out a surprised scream, his body immediately shivering in fear and pain.

Another whip, and another, and one more. Beomgyu bit his lips to mute his screams, and he held back his tears. Another whip and he jerked up, another and he whimpered in pain as he let out a pained cry, another and he felt like the skin on his back was tearing apart.

Three more whips, and Beomgyu was sweating hard, droplets trailing from his hairline down to his jaw, down to his neck and chest. His back was stinging and he was definitely sure there were streaks of reddened skin and patches of blood.

He felt a presence in front of him as he whipped his head up and met the Beast's terrifying gaze. The monster harshly grabbed his face with one of his huge hands and growled, "There's a lot more where that came from."

Beomgyu shook his head as an attempt to free himself from the monster's hold, but in doing so, he cut his left cheek on the Beast's sharp claws.

"Still stubborn, eh? Guess you haven't learned your lesson yet." The Beast took a long look at Beomgyu, like he was thinking about what to do next, when his eyes landed on the silver thing around the boy's neck. "Ah, what's this?" The Beast sneers, taking the accessory in his hand.

"Don't touch that." Beomgyu hissed, jerking his body back.

The Beast grinned and ripped the necklace off of Beomgyu's neck, before he walked away towards the forge.

Beomgyu's eyes widen with panic, "No! Give it back! Please!" He struggles against the chains.

The Beast looks at him with a smug look.

"Please! It's the only thing I have left of my mother!" Beomgyu begs, his eyes welling with tears as he pulls on the chains binding him.

"Too bad."

Beomgyu watched the flames swallow his most prized possession, mouth frozen open in silence. He glanced at the big black Beast nearing him. Then his lips quivered, his body slumped, and the tears came.

He bowed his head down and cried, until his nose stuffed up and he struggled to breathe. His wrists were bleeding against the cuffs when a lock snapped. Beomgyu lifted his raw, red eyes to see the Beast uncuff him from the chains.

"Get out." He growled, and he went to return the whip to the wall.

When he turned around, Beomgyu was gone.

The Beast walked around and pulled the chains, dragging it outside the cell towards the midpoint of sludge and clear water. He knelt and dipped the bloody chains in between the two rushing currents to rinse them clean. Scrubbing the last spots of blood away, he caught his reflection in the sludge.

Only it wasn't his.

The Beast spun and Beomgyu kicked him in.

The Beast thrashed in water and slime, flailing for something to grab on but the tides were too strong.

Beomgyu watched him gurgle his last breaths and sink like a stone.

He walked towards the light, feeling for the missing accessory in his neck as he swallows the sickness in his throat. Despite the stinging in his back, there was a greater stinging in his chest.

_The Good forgive_ , said the rules.

But the rules were wrong. They had to be.

Because he hadn't forgiven.

Beomgyu hadn't forgiven at all.

~

The cover was silver silk, painted with the glowing Storian clutched between black and white swans.

**_A Student's History of the Woods_ **  
_Namjoon Kim_

Taehyun opened to the first page.

" _This books reflects the views of its author ONLY. The author's interpretation of history does not share the thoughts and ideas of the faculty._

_Sincerely, Byulyi Moon and Lady Wheein, Deans of the School for Good and Evil._ "

Taehyun felt a strange wave of relief upon reading that the faculty disapproved of the book. He was encouraged that somewhere in between these pages was the answer to the riddle.

He flipped the page to start, but it didn't have words. Splashed across the page were patterns of dots in different colors and the size of pinheads. He turned to the next page and only found more dots.

He stared at the page in disappointment, observing the patterned dots as if it was yet to decipher. He swept a finger over the dots, thinking the words were hidden from sight but not from touch, when a voice boomed and he jerked his hand back.

_"Chapter Fourteen: The Great War."_

Before his eyes, a ghostly three-dimensional scene melted into view atop the book page like a living diorama. As he watched the silent vision, and as he listened to Namjoon's disembodied voice, Taehyun gawked in disbelief.

Sightless Namjoon couldn't write history, but he could _see_ it and wanted the same for his students. Every time he turned a page and touched the dots, living history came to life accompanied by his narration. Most of Chapter 14 explained what Beomgyu had told him at Lunch: that there were two School Masters that ruled the school, brothers whose love for each other overcame their loyalties to their own sides until the Evil brother gave way to temptation, seeing that the only obstacle between him and the pen's infinite power was his own blood.

Taehyun's hands swept over the dots, scanning each scene with conviction, only stopping when he watched a familiar figure in silver robes and mask rise out the burning carnage of battle, with the Storian in hand.

The scene flashed to the dying brother, burning to ashes as he stabbed his hand into the sky, unleashing a burst of silver light. Taehyun listened to Namjoon's narration.

" _For the dying brother used his final embers of magic to create a spell against his twin: a way to prove Good and Evil still equal. As long as this proof stayed intact, then the Storian will remain uncorrupted and the Woods in perfect balance. And as to what this proof is . . ."_

Taehyun's felt his heart race.

_"It remains in the School for Good and Evil to this very day."_

The scene went dark.

He turned the page urgently, and touched the dots-

_"Chapter Fifteen: The Woodswide Plague."_

Taehyun threw the book against one of the blanketed walls, then the others. Until the sheets he used to cover the mirrors and murals rest on the floor. He groaned and pulled on his hair in desperation, before burying his face on his pillow.

_Please. Help us_.

He doesn't even know who he's asking help from, but in the silence of the room, in between prayers and tears, something came.

A thought? An impulse?

Taehyun lifted his head.

The answer to the riddle looked back at him.

~

Beomgyu approached his group from the back, a deep frown etched on his face as he presses a thin cloth on the cut on his cheek. His back still stings but he only have one thought in mind.

_Just find Taehyun._

The group turned all at once, gaping at him with horror. Beomgyu raised an eyebrow and they all looked away. Soobin's gaze stayed a bit longer before he was called by Hueningkai.

"Where's Taehyun?" He asked Bangchan. But Bangchan was just staring at him, a scanning look on his face as he eyes the former. Beomgyu cleared his throat.

"Oh, uh they haven't let him out of his room yet. Too bad he'll miss today's class." Bangchan answered, still eyeing the other's face.

"It's just a cut! Get over it already." Beomgyu snapped.

"You were so pretty. Now it ruined your perfect face." Bangchan murmured.

"It'll heal soon." Beomgyu said, averting his gaze.

"If it helps you sleep at night. That's going to be a permanent scar, you know." Bangchan shrugs, "Don't worry though, one day, someone Evil enough will kill that monster."

Beomgyu stiffened.

"Everyone, get in!" Hoseok called as he stands in front of a rabbit hole.

One by one, the Evers and Nevers crawled down the hole, and with short squeals, came tumbling inside.

Beomgyu turned to Hoseok, "Wait, what about my friend?"

"I'm afraid he'll just have to catch up in the next class. Go on now." Hoseok said as he practically pushed Beomgyu inside.

Beomgyu tumbled inside the rabbit hole, feeling like the hole was too big for him, and everyone, to be able to move around in. Until they landed on water that seem to have stretched for miles.

They stayed afloat for awhile before Hoseok showed up in a huge teacup, and pulled them in. The teacup magically rowed itself across the underground river, until it stopped and settled on a riverbank and everyone hopped off. The group followed Hoseok out of another hole and they found themselves on a graveyard.

Headstones swept over the barren hills, and Hoseok sparked a few fires around the group.

"Where are we?" a Never asked.

"In a few weeks, each of you will be unlocked to perform spells," the Elf said to the excited titters, "But spells are not a substitute for survival skills. Today, you will be finding and eating meerworms! They live in graves and they can keep you alive if food is scarce." Hoseok smiles, "Welcome to the Garden of Good and Evil! Now, team up in pairs. Whichever team eats the most meerworms wins the challenge."

Beomgyu glances at Soobin, only to find the prince looking at him too.

"What? You can't find anything without your _boyfriend_?" Soobin murmured, a tinge of bitterness in his tone.

Beomgyu rolled his eyes as the prince paired up with Hueningkai.

"Hey, we can beat them." Bangchan said as he pulled Beomgyu to the ground.

As Beomgyu was looking for the worms, he noticed a figure in the distance. A massive giant with a long black beard, thick dreadlocks, and midnight blue skin, digging a row of graves on another hill.

"It's the Crypt Keeper," Bangchan whispered to Beomgyu, "He does all of that himself, that's why it takes too long."

Beomgyu glanced to the side where Bangchan was looking and found a long line of bodies and coffins waiting for burial. He could immediately see the difference between the Nevers' dark stone coffins and the Evers' glass and gold ones. But there were also bodies without caskets, just lying untended on the hillslope beneath circling vultures.

The group watched the Crypt Keeper dig the graves, pull a big book from his mass of hair before picking up a gold coffin with a prince inside and heaved it into the empty plot. He moved down the line of waiting bodies, picked up a crystal coffin with a princess, and laid it beside the prince's coffin in the same grave.

"Anastasia and Jacob. Died of starvation while on honeymoon. An avoidable death if they actually _paid attention_ in class." Hoseok jeered.

The students grumbled and went back to the task, but Beomgyu kept watching. He saw the giant picking up a coffinless ogre and drop it in the next plot, and then a queen's silver tomb beside a matching king's. He noticed the pattern. Evers buried together with their partners, Nevers buried alone.

_Ever After. Paradise together._

_Nevermore. Paradise alone_.

Beomgyu froze. He knows the answer to the riddle.

"Perhaps we should search Necro Ridge. Come, students." Hoseok called.

"Cover for me." Beomgyu whispered to Bangchan.

"What are you- Hey!" before Bangchan could process what Beomgyu meant, he was gone inside the hole.

A short while later, in the Blue Forest, five stymphs looked up from their goat meal to see Beomgyu holding an egg.

"Let's try this again, shall we?"

~

_I can't believe it was here all along._

Taehyun paced around his room, glancing at the wall every once in a while.

_That's the weapon that made Good invincible against Evil. The answer that would send us home._

He stopped walking when he was hit by a wave of dread.

_Beomgyu . . ._

Taehyun gazed around his room, he couldn't just sit here while Beomgyu was being tortured.

His door is still locked, the walls are out of the option. He glanced at his window, and proceeded to open it, when he heard squawks from the outside.

Taehyun looked out and the only thing he saw was Beomgyu jumping from the stymph's back and through the window into his room.

They crashed on the floor with Taehyun underneath, "What-"

" _Love_." Beomgyu panted as he pulled himself up to look at the other under him.

Taehyun swallowed, "You're alive! You're crazy-"

"Love is what a villain can never have but a hero can't live without."

"Is that a cut-"

"Am I right or not?"

"Yes," Taehyun answers and he softly pushed Beomgyu away from him and sat down, pointing at the walls.

"True love's kiss." Beomgyu whispered, attempting to stretch his body from his stunt, only for his back to sting.

Taehyun's eyes grew with worry, "Are you okay? What did they do to you?"

"Ten whips." Beomgyu gritted, the stinging was felt more after the recall. He made a move to remove his coat and shirt, sighing in relief when he was free from the fabric that harshly clung onto his wound.

Taehyun quickly moved around his room, looking for some vials he found at one time. When he found it, he rushed back to Beomgyu to help him relieve his wounds.

As Taehyun was applying the liquid on his friend's back, the latter was staring at the glass wall mural.

Taehyun looked at it too, "If your true love kisses you, then you can't be a villain."

"And if you can't find love, then you can't be a prince."

He stopped rubbing the other's back, "My part is taken care of. Yours isn't so simple."

"I have to kiss my true love?" Beomgyu asks, turning to meet the other's gaze, "But who?"

Taehyun just stares at the other's brown orbs.

"You don't mean . . . _No_ . . . He hates me Tyun! And I punched him, too. There's no way." Beomgyu shook his head in disbelief.

"There's no one else out there." Taehyun reasons. As much as he hates the idea that they have to rely on the prince with this, he can't think of anyone else that would fit the role.

"He couldn't be tricked into this. He's going to mess this up for us."

"We won't trick him. You just have to be sincere."

"I don't think this would work."

"Gyu, you have to. It's the only way we'll get home." Taehyun reached to grab his hand.

Beomgyu looked at his friend, and was caught off guard with the amount of faith he's giving him. His hesitation depleting when the other cupped his scarred cheek and looked at him with pleading eyes.

"You can do this, Beom. _W_ _e_ can do this." Taehyun sincerely whispered.

"Fine." Beomgyu breathed, heart racing at the thought of the prince.

Taehyun smiled at him, relieved as he pulled Beomgyu into a hug.

"We're going home, Beomie."

But in his arms, Taehyun felt something different. He already sensed something wrong with Beomgyu the moment he crashed onto him. Something that tells him the Doom Room had taken more from his friend than just his perfect face and clean back. Although he swallowed his doubts and hugged Beomgyu tighter, with his hands crawling to the other's nape.

_But where's his necklace?_

He only thought that the other misplaced it.

"Just one kiss, and all this would be over." He whispered.

As they embraced in one tower, the School Master watched the Storian in another. It finishes a magnificent painting of the two boys in each other's arms. The pen added a last flourish of words beneath it, closing the chapter.

_"But no kiss comes without its price."_

The School Master clenches his fist in annoyance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> additional character:  
> Namjoon Kim
> 
> **
> 
> a little guide regarding their schedules:
> 
> Beomgyu
> 
> Uglification - Professor Yoongi  
> Henchmen Training - Taehyung  
> Curses - Lady Wheein  
> History of Villainy - Professor Namjoon  
> Lunch  
> Special Talents - Professor Hyejin  
> Surviving Fairy Tales - Hoseok, Group 3
> 
> ~
> 
> Taehyun
> 
> Grooming - Professor Seokjin  
> Chivalry - Jimin  
> Animal Communication - Princess Yongsun  
> History of Heroism - Professor Namjoon  
> Lunch  
> Good Deeds - Professor Byulyi  
> Surviving Fairy Tales - Hoseok, Group 3


	8. Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Magic follows feeling."

Taehyun woke up to arms wrapped around him, warmth emanating from the other figure as he stirs. He squints his eyes to his surroundings before the events last night sink in.

"Hey wake up!" Taehyun shook Beomgyu, earning whining noises from the latter. "What are you still doing here? What if the fairies find you?" 

Beomgyu rubbed his eyes awake before sitting upright, stretching his arms overhead and wincing when his wounds stung.

"Excuse me, dear prince, you're going to be late for your first class." Taehyun nags as he pushes Beomgyu off his bed.

"I'm going! Jeez." Beomgyu whines, rubbing his nape and grabbing his coat. He headed for the door when he halts and picks something up.

"You didn't tell me there was a Ball." Beomgyu whispers, scanning the glittering snowflake invitation with Taehyun's name written in gold.

Taehyun stood beside him, eyeing the invitation that was probably sent last night, "It's not important. What's important is that you have to find a way to Soobin's heart."

Beomgyu shook his head, "Oh Tyun, and I thought you read fairy tales. What actually happens in a Ball? Dancing and eating and chatting. And then by midnight underneath the stars, you kiss."

"But you're not even invited."

"Who needs an invitation? I'm inviting myself. You just have to help me get in, and I'll do the rest. We'll be back home after." Beomgyu reassures him with a small smile.

Taehyun sighs, "Okay . . . I trust you, but you have to go back now or they'll put you in the Doom Room again." Taehyun walks toward the door and held the knob, "Use the Tunnel of Trees to get back to Evil, just go downstairs to the foyer and head South. You can manage that, right?"

"I can do that." Beomgyu answers and makes his way out, but before he could leave the room completely, he turned to the other, "Taehyun?"

"Hm?"

"Do whatever you can to survive."

~

As Beomgyu was plotting plans on a parchment, Professor Yoongi announced the Uglifying challenge for that day, providing the students with bat wings, lizard legs and horsetail roots alongside small cauldrons. Before he could even begin with whatever he is supposed to do, a "1" suddenly exploded over his head.

Forehead creasing, he turned to the professor.

"Guess a little scar ruined your greatest beauty. You look more of a villain now." Yoongi said, eyeing the huge scar across the blond's cheek.

"That's unfair!" Jungkook complained.

"We all have scars on our face!" San added.

"How sad, one scar and I still look better than most of you." Beomgyu teased the glaring Nevers before leaving the room.

A scream echoed along the halls, and Beomgyu laughed to himself imagining Jungkook's raging face. At the end of the hall, Woody pecked Beomgyu's name just below his on the Evil rankings board.

At the start of Curses, Lady Wheein came into the ice chamber, jaw tighter than usual.

"Impossible to find good torturers these days." She muttered.

"What is she talking about?" Beomgyu asked Bangchan.

"She's talking about how you ditched me yesterday. I had to eat more meerworms just for you to pass." Bangchan gritted.

"Thank you for your kind soul then. The question?"

Bangchan turned away with a roll of his eyes, "Beast went missing."

Beomgyu crossed his arms and frowned, ignoring the nausea forming in his stomach and instead, focused on the angry professor testing them about Nemesis Dreams.

"I thought a Nemesis Dream meant you'll be a Lead Villain." Jungkook said.

"No, you imbecile! A Nemesis Dream has symptoms!" Lady Wheein seethed, "Bangchan, what do you taste in your mouth during your first Nemesis Dream?"

"What you ate before bed?" Bangchan dumbly answered, earning him snickers from his classmates, and a wart on his cheek.

" _Blood_ , you idiot!" Lady Wheein pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation, "I'd give _anything_ to see a real villain in this school! Someone who could make Good weep instead of these schmucks."

When his turn came, Beomgyu expected the worst treatment, only for Lady Wheein to caress his scarred cheek and give him a wart on his hand for a surely incorrect answer.

"Why is she being _nice_ to you?" Jungkook hissed from behind him.

Beomgyu had no idea either, but he turned to the other with a smile, "Why wouldn't she be nice to her future Class Captain? So much for not wanting to help me, huh?"

Beomgyu swore he'd have a hole on his head from the fiery glare the other gave him.

~

"This Ball nonsense is getting contagious." Taehyun groaned as he sat next to Beomgyu during Lunch, "Every one is talking about it, every challenge had something to do with it. It's getting irritating."

"It's not that bad Hyunnie. Once we get the kiss, we're getting home anyway." Beomgyu says as he rummages Taehyun's basket.

"What's your plan about that?" the brunette questions, grabbing a dried fish from the blond's pail.

"I'll figure something out. But I have another idea, let's teach each other some of the things we learn!" Beomgyu put a finger on Taehyun's lips when the latter was about to say something, "Hear me out first. How can I be Good if they teach me Evil? I could teach you to dance for your Ball challenges. And I could also tell you some of my lessons. I swear, you'll like my Uglification topics. You just have to teach me what you learn!"

Taehyun removed the other's finger, "We're not wasting time playing teacher, Beom."

"I'm serious! And actually, we have plenty of time. What do you say?"

Taehyun wasn't against the idea, in fact, he already _l_ _ikes_ it the moment it slipped off Beomgyu's lips. He wasn't thinking that it was a waste of time, either. Truth is, he's worried that he might like it more than he should.

"How will you even get Soobin's attention like this?" Taehyun asked, glancing at the mentioned prince that's playing archery across the Clearing.

"Oh, he wouldn't be able to resist me too much. Don't worry about it." Beomgyu smiled at him, a mischievous glint present at the corner of his eye, making his friend nervous.

"What are you talking about?" 

"You'll see Tyun. Just leave him to me." He said as he winked at the other and finished his cherry pie.

~

"Each week, we'll repeat the challenge to determine Good from Evil, since it is the most crucial skill you would need when you venture into the Woods." Hoseok announces, "And since all of you seemed interested in yesterday's burials, I'd make you experience one of your own."

They came faced with ten glass coffins on turquoise grass. The Elf assigned five Evers and five Nevers to climb into the open coffins, and with his swish of a hand, they turned into identical dark-skinned trolls covered with warts.

"Gyu, this is a chance. You'd have to wish for Soobin." Taehyun said, remembering Princess Yongsun's words, "If you wish for him enough, he'd be pulled towards you."

"Won't Hueningkai wish for him too?"

"Then you have to wish harder! Make him know that you're his true love." 

As Hoseok slammed the glass lids close and jumbled the ten coffins, Beomgyu just thought to try out what his friend had suggested.

"Study them carefully, and search for signs of Good. Once you're sure, kiss their hand and their true nature will be revealed." Hoseok instructed, "The Nevers should go too, to make sure everyone behaves." He chuckled.

Inside the coffins, the students stiffened as both Good and Evil groupmates wandered around them.

In his coffin, Taehyun wished Soobin would look deep into Beomgyu's heart and see who he really was.

In his coffin, Beomgyu closed his eyes and hesitated, remembering the last time he made a wish before brushing it aside and thought of every thing he previously _liked_ about the prince.

Soobin, however, didn't want _any_ of them. He couldn't remember the last time he actually liked someone. And yet, someone was always following him, claiming to be his lover. He was tired of it; he was tired of being with someone who only cared about him because of his looks, or his status. He was tired of prince hunters who were not genuine at all. The Hueningkai Curse. Actually, no. There was another name to it.

The Guinevere Curse.

Soobin was still young when it happened; his mother Guinevere running away with the knight Lancelot, leaving him and his father alone, and claiming that "She found love." But then, what about all those times she said "I love you" to his father? Was it not real after all?

Soobin watched his heartbroken father get drunk every night, until death came within a year. With his last breaths, King Arthur gripped his son's hands.

"The people will need you as a ruler Soobin, and you would need someone to be with you as you rule. Do not make my mistakes. Look for someone who is _truly_ _Good_."

He was pulled from his thoughts when Hoseok yelled for them to hurry up. He was about to just leave the challenge when he felt his eyes drawn to one coffin. Something was pulling him towards the person inside it, despite being identical with the rest. A warmth, a glow, a spark of energy pulsing between them. Soobin was sure there was something he hadn't noticed before.

"Time's up!"

Taehyun heard Beomgyu grunt from the coffin beside his, and he spun to look, only to see a Never's lips pressed onto the back of the other's hand.

With a disgusted look on his face, Beomgyu pulled his hand away, stomped out of the coffin and pushed the Never inside instead.

Taehyun heard his own coffin open and he turned to see Soobin lifting his bulging hand towards his tender lips. Stunned, Taehyun kneed him in the chest and the other recoiled back, losing his balance and slumping to the ground. Evers crowded around him, and the troll clones jumped from their coffins to help. In the chaos, Taehyun slipped out of his coffin and moved into the one next to it.

Soobin stood up, frowning and with no intention to let his choice go. "I want to finish."

Hoseok nodded, and signalled the clones to climb back into their coffins.

Soobin remembered the coffin he picked. He immediately lifted the jeweled glass and kissed the troll's hand with confidence. The troll melted into Hueningkai, smiling widely at him but Soobin dropped his hand like he had touched a hot stove. In the next coffin, Taehyun sighed with relief.

As the wolves howled in the distance, the class followed Hoseok back to the school. Taehyun walked besides Beomgyu, assuring him that the Never was dumb enough to make that mistake and that it will work out next time.

But the Never was not the problem.

The problem was that Beomgyu had seen Taehyun switch coffins.

~

At Lunch the next day, however, both of them acted like usual. They sat next to each other, exchanging lunch menus and teaching each other their lessons of the day.

"And that's how you tame Giants." Beomgyu ended his discussion on Giant Commands from his Henchmen class, as he finishes the caramel pudding from Taehyun's basket.

Taehyun only nodded, tucking the parchment notes neatly in his pockets, when he remembered the main matter they should be focusing on, "How's your plan going?"

"Ah, I almost forgot about that." Beomgyu yawned, "You just mentioned that one way to win your half, you'd have to flaunt your strengths."

"Yes, that's right." Taehyun answered, recalling his Grooming lesson on Winning your Half that he just taught to his friend.

"That's exactly what I'm going to do then." Beomgyu stretched his arms before standing up and stretching his legs. "Lunch doesn't end yet for an hour or so, right?"

Taehyun nodded, confused. When he heard the other utter a farewell, he asked where he was going, only to be answered by a wink.

His eyes followed the blond boy as he confidently walked towards the other Everboys, specifically, towards Soobin and his friends who were resting after playing around. Taehyun swallowed the lump in his throat, and mentally prayed that the other knows what he was doing.

And indeed, Beomgyu did know what he was doing. He strides towards the prince, a smile plastered on his face when the prince looks at him, and he stops in front of them.

"Hey fellas! Hey _Bin_! I see you all have your training swords, care for a friendly and harmless duel?" Beomgyu greets.

"A Never? Using swords?" One of them snickers, "Just get back to using your logs or brooms or something."

"Or maybe just play with your dolls." another said as the Evers burst out laughing.

"Oh, okay." Beomgyu shrugs, "I guess princes are afraid of dueling with villains. Never knew you guys were cowards." He proceeded to turn around when-

"I'll accept the challenge."

The Evers looked at Soobin as if he had gone mad.

"What? You're just letting him call you cowards? Princes shouldn't have anything to be scared of. Especially if it's just a little villain." The prince stood up, "Let him borrow your sword Hyunjin."

The first Ever that made fun of him reacts, "Why mine?"

"You're the worst at Swordplay." He simply answers.

Hyunjin grudgingly handed the sword over to Beomgyu, muttering that he was not that bad at the sport, while the latter marvels at the weapon. 

A wave of nostalgia washes over him as he remembers how a sword's hilt felt like underneath his grip. He circles his wrist with a quick motion and the blade dances along in the air. He turns to Soobin with a smile still etched across his face as the prince stepped forward-

"I'll play with him first. See if he's worth your time and energy." A red-haired boy said as he stood in front of Soobin.

"It's not necessary Mingi-"

"But he's not worth for the _Son_ _of_ _Arthur_." Mingi mumbles lowly, but Beomgyu heard it all the same as he flips the sword around, smile unfaltering.

"He challenged me, and I accepted. Now, if you may?" Soobin said as he makes his way past the red-haired boy.

"I shall prove my worth, oh humble prince."

Soobin ignored the mocking tone that the Never threw and instead, he pulled out his own sword and stepped in position.

The two boys are now standing across from each other near the middle of the Clearing. Beomgyu could feel the eyes looking at the two of them, boring holes onto his skull: Nevers looking at him with unamused expressions since sword-handling was not a Never thing to do (and because they know that the blond was being ridiculous to challenge the prince and are waiting for him to lose), and Taehyun staring at him with his eyes full of worry.

They stared at each other for a short while, before Beomgyu took the first steps towards Soobin, sword on the right hand and pointed downwards before he circled it in and met the other's blade on a defensive stance. They pulled their swords away for a short moment before it clashed again with a loud shriek.

Beomgyu swings his sword to aim at Soobin's left leg when Soobin managed to swing his sword to defend. The prince immediately broke the contact and aimed for Beomgyu's middle when the other jumped back just in time to dodge.

"It was supposed to be friendly!" Beomgyu says, laughing. Soobin ignores him again and proceeds for another attack aimed at the other's shoulder, but Beomgyu was able to deflect it. He spun around while the blades remain in contact, and Soobin's sword almost fell out of his grip.

The black-haired prince held onto his sword tighter, jaw clenched as he stares at the blond boy looking at him with a smile. He was getting irritated from the fact that the Never in front of him makes him break out a sweat, all the while smiling at him and mocking his friends. He was not letting this pass at all. Heck, he was going to make sure to wipe that smile off of the other's pretty face.

Metal clashes with metal as Soobin relentlessly swung his sword towards Beomgyu, but the latter was able to effectively dodge and deflect every single time. Until Soobin let out a particularly stronger swing when their blades collide, causing for Beomgyu to recoil to his right in shock. Soobin saw the momentary opportunity and swing his sword to the right, at the same time releasing it from his left hand's grip.

Beomgyu jerked in surprise, eyeing the torn fabric on his upper arm. The precision of Soobin's technique making him smile from ear to ear, as he noticed that despite the force of the action, the prince still had managed to not provide a cut on his skin. A _harmless_ duel indeed.

Both of them heard howls and cheers from both Evers and Nevers, they even started to have a bet on who will win. The duel actually had everyone excited and on edge with the intensity, but Beomgyu laughs it off.

"Impressive." He compliments, the smile never leaving his face.

Soobin kept his face stoic, refusing to let himself get distracted from the blond's beautiful smile.

"I'm not going to lose to you, Beomgyu. Not again." Soobin says coldly. After the goblin incident, and the punching incident, he was not going to let Beomgyu one up him. No. He is a soon-to-be king of their kingdom, and he's not going to bow down to some villain, even if his now scarred face is worthy to be worshipped.

Beomgyu hums at that, and proceeded to swing his sword towards Soobin's middle, but the prince moved to spin back and clash his blade to the other's. A series of metal clangs and loud hisses could be heard, accompanied by heavy breaths from the two boys dueling, and cheers from the crowd watching.

Their blades came in contact, and none of them pulled away as they stared into each other's eyes: one with a heavy glare, and the other with delight. The swords were trembling with how hard they grip on it before they both spun away with another resounding hiss that sends shivers down their spine.

When their blades collide once again, Soobin attempted to repeat his earlier action. He knows that using a longsword with one hand, like what Beomgyu mostly does, is more disadvantageous, and he's going to use that fact to his utmost advantage.

But he was perplexed when Beomgyu managed to guard against his attack, both hands gripping on the sword's hilt. Beomgyu locked his sword with Soobin's by pressing the edge to the cross-guard, and he turned his arms in a clockwise motion, firm enough to loosen the prince's grip and quick enough to catch him off guard. He thrust his arms up and the sword slipped from the other's hands. It tumbles above their heads before it plunges onto the ground with a thud, firmly planted in the dirt.

The Clearing went silent. Soobin's eyes widen in surprise as he stares at his now empty hands. He looked up to see his opponent, sword pointing at him with a small smile gracing his lips. Beomgyu circled his wrist like what he first did with the sword, before plunging it right beside Soobin's on the ground between them. The Nevers bursted in cheers.

Soobin stared at Beomgyu as he approaches, stopping right in front of him, "Have I proven my worth, Son of Arthur?" He whispers, brown orbs staring deep into his black ones.

Beomgyu winks at the prince after his question, before he walked past him and the Nevers towards the Tunnel of Trees, right in time for the wolves to howl and bells to ring.

~

Back in Professor Hyejin's moldy classroom, she discusses different ways on how to improve each special talent, varying on each type. She scurries past desks of concentrating students when she reached the blond boy casually sitting, not attempting to do anything.

"Ah perhaps we all underestimated the pink-loving Reader." She muses, "Those Ever buffoons might be trembling on their shins right now, thanks to you." She pats Beomgyu's head, before hardening her tone, "But do keep in mind that you are still in this school, in my class. And I do not allow slacking off."

Beomgyu whistled lowly, and a swarm of wasps gently came from outside the window. Professor Hyejin gave him an approving smile before walking to other desks. He even caught sight of Jungkook looking at him with an indifferent glare, but he ignored him. In fact, he ignored everyone that was staring at him since lunch.

When the class ended and he went out of the room, however, a group of Nevers was waiting for him.

~

As Professor Moon was discussing on Right Conduct, Taehyun was zoning out on his seat. The whispered rumors flooding his ears after the eventful duel made him briefly forget of his friend's skills.

_Of course Beomgyu knew what he was doing._

He recalled all those times back in Ttukseom where the blond boy would pull him out of the comforts of his house to play ball games, archery, or play swordfighting. His friend was always good in physical activities, and the constant invitations or forced hang-outs caused him to learn some skills himself. Although he was not as good as his friend, and would definitely prefer to being stuck indoors with his cat, he wouldn't deny that he had fun doing them with him (even if he ended up crashing to the ground more than half the times they played).

He was pulled from his trip down memory lane when the professor announces a simple test they had to answer. Pulling out a parchment, Taehyun caught sight of the prince spacing out on his desk across the room. He couldn't blame him though; Soobin was the best at Swordplay in this school, and he owns a sword that basically proclaims that he is a rightful king, and to lose to a Never, of all people, is downright unbelievable and probably unforgivable.

Mingi nudged the prince and he seemed to be pulled back to his senses. Their eyes met for a short while before the prince turned away with a frown.

Despite the foul expression that Soobin gave him, Taehyun was able to read the disappointment and regret in the other's eyes. He turned back to his paper, focusing on the test as he swallows the growing worry for the prince.

~

When Taehyun arrived at his Forest Group, he saw Nevers playing with some rods and sticks as makeshift swords, and Evers watching them with frowns on their faces, especially a certain prince's.

"See how he's making fun of you Bin? Now he thinks he's the best." He heard Hueningkai says.

He didn't get to hear what the prince replied as he moved to search for his friend, and then finding him dueling with another Never, a branch on his right hand.

"What are you doing?"

Beomgyu briefly glances at him, "Oh hey Taehyun! I'm kind of busy at the moment, would you mind?" He proceeded to advance towards his opponent, swinging the branch in a clockwise motion. The Never was able to block the attack with his own branch, as small twigs and splinters flew from the impact, before he started to attack back.

"I said, what are you doing?" He presses. He doesn't understand what the other is trying to do with his little sword skits. Although he was being patient with their current plan on winning the prince's heart, he has to know what the other's plan _really_ was in doing so.

"Beomgyu." Taehyun called out again, and the boy lets out a sigh before swinging his branch quick enough to his opponent's middle, causing for the Never to gasp for air before Beomgyu hit him again on his left thigh and he falls on the ground, whimpering from the strike.

"I told you. Rule number 1: Do not let your guard down. Just because you're opponent gets distracted, you would proceed to relax." Beomgyu says, throwing the branch away. "Lesson learned?"

Taehyun gaped and creased his forehead at the sight he's seeing. Beomgyu is teaching the Nevers how to swordfight?

"You're . . . teaching?"

"Second way to Winning your Half: Speak through actions, not words." Beomgyu replies.

Before Taehyun could even ask further, Hoseok called them out into the forest.

As they were following the Elf, Taehyun strides beside Beomgyu and whispers, "How does teaching Nevers have anything to do with winning Soobin? For all I know, you _humiliated_ him with your stunt earlier."

"Humiliated him? Excuse me, but I was ' _flaunting my strengths_ '. Swordplay is one of them, as you know. It's not my fault that he lacks technique." Beomgyu explains, "And teaching these rigid Nevers is a form of charity done through actions. The only thing left from what you taught is the Third one: Parade Competing Suitors. And I don't necessarily have to make a move on that, judging by the amount of Nevers and Evers alike staring at me while I'm breathing."

Beomgyu could see that Taehyun looks lost, so he stopped on his tracks and faced the other, "Look, Hyun. I'm trying to show him that I'm Good. That I don't belong in that rotting tower. And this is the way I know to do just that."

"But you need something deeper. Something that comes from the _inside_. Not just showing all these things but not actually making a move on him." Taehyun reasons.

"Taehyun," Beomgyu frowns, "Like you said, he's _my_ prince. I know how to handle him myself." He started to walk ahead, following their group when he halts, and looks back at his friend over his shoulders, "Maybe you should have a little faith with your only friend."

Taehyun stood there, dumbfounded, but he quickly followed after him. However, he didn't get a chance to talk to his friend again when Hoseok separated the Evers and Nevers for that day's lesson. He tried again after class, but Beomgyu was quick to leave.

~

The next day, Taehyun waited in line for his lunch basket as he glanced around the Clearing. There were no signs of Beomgyu from their usual spot, and he frowns. His eyes traveled to the Nevers' place, but unlike their usual set-up of sitting alone, there were a group of at least 20 Neverboys sitting in a crowd near a tree stump. Albeit confused, he glanced at the Evers' side and he immediately saw Yunho sitting by himself and waving his hand at him. Taehyun smiled and waved back, collecting his basket and making his way towards the white-haired male.

The two of them sat in comfortable silence as they ate from their own baskets, watching Soobin and the other Everboys play rugby.

Soobin went to Hueningkai a little while after, the latter handing his orange marmalade for the former to drink.

"You don't have to play too hard Binnie." Hueningkai says, singsong voice a bit loud for comfort, "The poor boy thinks he's one of us, but he's not so you shouldn't stress yourself much about hi-"

His eyes bulged and his mouth shut tight. Taehyun saw why.

Beomgyu walked into the Clearing, the ripped tunic coat remodeled into a plain v-neck shirt tucked into slim fitted pants with chains dangling from the front belt loops to the back, black belt hugging the waistband firmly onto his waist with a silver buckle gleaming in the sun's reflection, a sheathed long dagger dangling on his left. His sleeves were folded at least twice, revealing firm smooth biceps, and on his feet were a pair of leather boots. His hair was messy but somehow, he still manages to make it look good.

He strutted past Jungkook, San, and Bangchan, which rolled their eyes as if they were tired of the blond's actions; past Evers who were all gaping at him with wide eyes and mouth open; and stopped right in front of the gathered Nevers, pulling out the dagger from its sheath.

"Who wants to be my sparring partner?" All the gathered Nevers raised their hands.

Across the field, Soobin's sword fell out of its sheath. He saw Hueningkai glaring and he put it back. 

Taehyun saw it, and with a small smile, he thought, _maybe this would actually work._

~

In the School for Evil, Nevers sulked through supper, knowing that they had a full night of studying ahead. Spell casting was set to begin that week, that's why instead of talents, the teachers' tests are more on tedious recalls of their lessons. They even have to study the Wonderland Map for Namjoon's geography exam ("How would he even check the test?" Jungkook groaned, "He couldn't even see!")

At curfew, Jungkook, San, and Bangchan dragged themselves back to their room. Upon entering, they took notice of their blond roommate laying on the windowsill; the window wide open as Beomgyu stares at the sky, a small knife playing between his fingers. They also noticed the other's bed with stacks of clothes and excess fabric.

"You are ridiculous." Jungkook hissed.

"Shouldn't you study for the challenges?" Bangchan asked.

"I couldn't care less." Beomgyu muttered, not even sparing a single glance.

And indeed, Beomgyu didn't care to the point that he placed near bottom in all three challenges the next day. He did placed first in Attention though, when he arrived at lunch wearing a black long-sleeved button-down shirt tucked into his slim-fit pants. The sleeves were folded upto three-fourths of his arms, top two buttons undone. Blond locks were still messy as he approaches a larger crowd of Nevers and started demonstrating an actual swordfighting combat.

"That shouldn't be allowed!" Hueningkai whined, as fellow Evers, boys and girls alike, were drooling over the Never.

But Beomgyu was still wearing his uniform, as he had always done since the Welcoming. The usually fierce wolves looked just as awed as Evers, and Bangchan swore he saw one even winked at Beomgyu when he was collecting his pail.

"He's mocking villainy." Jungkook fumed, dark eyes glaring at Beomgyu across the Clearing, "Nevers shouldn't use such 'honorable' fighting styles. Those are for sissies! They should just lock him in the Doom Room permanently."

"Beast's still missing." San yawned, "Whatever scared him must have been something really bad."

During Forest Groups, Taehyun sidled up next to Beomgyu as they follow Hoseok through the forest.

"Has he talked to you yet?" Taehyun whispers.

"No." Beomgyu shrugs.

"Are you sure this is _really_ going to work?"

"Yes Hyunnie, have patience. I could see him checking me out. It's just a matter of time."

Beomgyu knew that Soobin was checking him out, that most Evers do. He noticed how Soobin would grit his teeth as he sneak peeks at his behind or at his legs, how the prince would sweat if he gets too close. But he still didn't talk to him, but the pretty blond knows that good things come to those who wait.

When they stopped in a small opening in the forest, Hoseok separated the Evers and Nevers.

"You must get used to seeing each other as the enemy as the first Magic Trial is in three weeks." Hoseok announces, "And for that, you will need to learn some basic spells. As everyone knows, there is no one way to use magic. There are incantations, visualizations, hand flicks, magic wands, even partners. Yet there is _one_ rule common to all spells." Hoseok pulled a shiny silver key from his pocket, the end shaped like a swan. "Evers, right hand please."

Although confused, the Evers held out their hands. Hoseok grabbed Taehyun's hand first, and then his pointer finger. Taehyun and his group watched as the Elf magically plunged the swan key into the brunette's fingertip. The skin went transparent, and the swan tip sank past tissue, veins, blood, and attached to his bone. The key was turned and his bone painlessly rotated a full circle. His fingertip glowed bright yellow for a moment, and dimmed when Hoseok withdrew the key. Taehyun scanned his finger, bewildered, as the Elf unlocked the rest of the Evers and Nevers.

" _Magic follows feeling_. That is our only rule." Hoseok declares once he was finished, "Your finger would glow once you have summoned enough emotion, enough purpose to perform a spell. But like a magic wand, fingerglow is just a training wheel. You would look pathetic in the Woods if you light up every time you cast a spell. But we will relock your glow once you show control." He grimaced at one Never who was thrusting his finger at rocks, trying to make something happen.

The students squinted at their fingers, feeling for their emotions, and soon enough, fingertips started to flicker, each person's a unique color.

Hoseok nodded at the group, "You'll only learn three types of spell during your first year: Water Control, Weather Manipulation, and Mogrification for both animals and plants. Today, we will begin at the last." The students grew excited, "It is a simple visualization spell but it is highly effective in escaping enemies. And since your clothes wouldn't fit after you mogrify, it's easier if you're not wearing any." The class stood frozen, the Elf chuckles. "But I'll suppose we'll do. Who wants to go first?"

Everyone raised their hands, along with the two. Taehyun looked at Beomgyu, and the latter was looking at him before a smile crept onto his features. Taehyun smiled back.

In between the sweet smiles they shared, a secret promise of home lingered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a little filler chapter ^u^
> 
> oh, and please take note that villains here doesn't know how to use swords or bows and arrows. they mostly use wooden clubs or cast spells or fistfights and doesn't have any idea on how to fight fairly so bg teaches them a somewhat "ever way" to fight.


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "We're a team."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updating earlier than scheduled bcos i can't wait

By the fourth day of Beomgyu teaching, there are already thirty Nevers gathered at the tree stump.

"Professor Yoongi says that a Never must be revolting, repugnant. And for what? To make us fearsome, unique, powerful. But I would ask you, dear Nevers, do you feel empowered wearing those sacks?" Beomgyu raised his old tunic coat, before ripping it in half with his dagger, "No! You can only be confident in yourself if you know there's nothing to be insecure about. A good appearance makes everyone swoon, and if combined with the skills you learned, then you would feel the empowerment you'd need."

The Nevers exchanged remarks, seemingly agreeing to the blond boy in front of them.

"Although, it would take a long way to go for most of you, you could focus on enhancing your skills first. We've done close-combat, now let's proceed to long-ranged ones." Beomgyu turned around and grabbed a bow and arrow that's resting on the stump. (No one even questions where he got the weapons.)

He sets an arrow in the bow, and pulls on the bowstring with controlled ease until the bow bends. His posture was steady and firm, and he stood with confidence. He aims at a certain brown-haired boy, before he slowly inhales and releases the string with a slight jerk. The arrow ripped into the air at an astounding speed before it plunged into a tree across the Clearing, arrowhead stuck deep in the trunk at a palm's length above the brown-haired prince's head.

Hueningkai looked up in shock, and the Nevers bursted out laughing.

"It's that mentally ill Beomgyu." Hueningkai snapped, eyes glaring at the blond boy explaining to the Nevers how to properly hold their bows.

Soobin stares at the arrow that Beomgyu shot, _Impressive, but_ "What is he up to?"

"I think he's trying to convince the Nevers that they're not losers." Hueningkai answered with a roll of his eyes.

Soobin went silent, and proceeded to bite his beef as he glances across the Clearing, on the blond boy that makes him confused.

Taehyun didn't bother to visit Beomgyu that lunch, even on the next day. He figured to let his friend do his thing, while he sat beside Yunho, Beomgyu's parchments in hand. He was a bit moved by the other's gesture, still being able to help him learn Evil's lessons while teaching villains tactics. His plan was brilliant, Taehyun admitted, and he was even more convinced when he saw the prince walk across the wide patch of grass towards the pretty blond.

"Back to your side, loser." One of the Nevers who quickly noticed him said. The other villains turned to look at him, and they immediately showered insults and snarky remarks at the prince.

Soobin flushed in embarrassment as he wasn't used to being unpopular. He was about to retrace his steps back to the Evers' side when a deep voice cut through the noise.

"We welcome everyone." Beomgyu said as he approaches Soobin with a smile on his face. He handed his bow and arrow to the other, "Let's see what you got, prince."

Soobin came back every day that week. He only told his mates that he wanted to see what Beomgyu was wearing, but deep in him, there was more to it. He sat on the side, watching the blond boy teach lousy villains on how to straighten their hunched backs, walk with confidence, keep their heads up high, and the continued physical training activities in which Beomgyu would offer him to be his sparring partner. He notices the other Nevers skeptically approach Beomgyu to ask for health and hygiene advices, even the Nevergirls. The guarding wolves that were previously unimpressed by the gatherings were now listening. And soon enough, the villains have been talking about his advices and lessons over dinner and common room lounges. They started to sit together during lunch, and defend each other in classes. They stopped making jokes about their losing streak, and for the first time in over a hundred years, Evil had _hope._ All because of one boy. 

And by the end of the week, Soobin found himself in a front row seat, watching Beomgyu give self-improvement advices and training with him during sessions. Although his heart hammered in his chest when the other boy was near, he can't find himself wanting to leave.

Until lunch came the next day.

Taehyun was standing in line for his lunch basket of vegetable salad and banana milk, imagining his and Beomgyu's heroes' welcome once they get home when-

"What a joke for him to think he's the best."

Taehyun turned to Hueningkai, who was watching Beomgyu with a glare.

"He's actually the best Never I've ever seen." A voice replied.

Hueningkai spun to Soobin, an eyebrow raised as he crosses his arms in front of him, "Is he Binnie? I think it's all a big _fairy tale_." He smirked and tilted his head towards a certain direction, "And I also think that you should set your standards higher." He added, before walking away.

Soobin glances at the direction that the other prince hinted, and he saw the schools' ranking boards atop the Blue Forest gates, bathing in soft sunlight. On the Nevers board, Beomgyu's name hung at the bottom. Number 100 out of 100.

Soobin didn't go to see Beomgyu that day. Rumors spread that he found it sad to watch Nevers pin their hopes on the "worst boy in school."

That night, Taehyun was facing his reflection on Halfway Bridge. It looked more glum and gaunt than the last time he saw it.

And so he avoided its eye contact, "I need to see Beomgyu."

"There's something in the way he looks at you."

"Huh? Who looks at me?"

"Soobin."

"You got to be kidding me. He was with Beomgyu the past days."

"Still, maybe Beomgyu is not Soobin's true love."

"He has to be." Taehyun said, suddenly anxious, "That's how we're getting back home. It can't be someone else, because who could it be? Hueningkai? Jisung?"

" _You_."

Taehyun looked at his reflection, a hideous smile on its face. "That is the most stupid thing I've ever heard. I don't have time for petty love, and I _hate_ Soobin with a passion. Additionally, he still thinks I'm an evil witch. And judging by my looks and interests, it might be true. So let me through."

His reflection frowned, "You think we're a witch?"

Taehyun sneered, "We told our friend to win his true love, only to take him away."

His reflection turned uglier, " _Definitely Evil._ " and then it vanished.

As he carefully wander in the Evil castle, looking for his friend's dorm room, his feet led him to the balcony where he once saw Beomgyu. 

"Taehyun?"

The said boy jerked in surprise at the voice. He turned and saw Beomgyu sitting behind the balcony wall, eyebrows creased at the sudden appearance of his friend.

"What are you doing here?"

Taehyun went to the other's side and sat beside him, "I wanted to talk to you."

Beomgyu scanned his face, "What is it?"

"I heard Soobin awhile ago, and you must've heard the rumors too." Taehyun faced him, and he saw a tinge of sadness in the other's features, "Why are you letting your rank fall?"

"If I rank low on Evil then that'll only show that I'm Good." He shrugs, as if trying to brush off the fact that he was affected with what the prince had said.

"Or just being lazy." Taehyun huffed.

"I gave you my parchments so I was not being lazy." Beomgyu rolled his eyes.

The other furrowed his brows, "Then are you doing this on purpose?" Taehyun whisper-yelled, hiding his burning fingertip in his pocket. He was getting frustrated, anxious, worried, that it makes his finger glow. "Three bottom ranks and you fail! I don't even know how you've managed to survive this long with your rankings."

"Of course I'm doing this on purpose! Yet they _don't_ let me fail. It was always rank 19 and not 20, no matter how bad I did. Why do you think I continued what I was doing?" Beomgyu frowned, "I'm not going to do intentional Evil, because that's not who I am!"

"It wouldn't work that way! You've done much Good, and Soobin has seen that. But you're losing Soobin's respect if you continue like this. And you might lose your chances too." Taehyun pleaded, eyes directly looking into Beomgyu's.

They stayed that way for a while, just staring at each other, contemplating on the others' words, and weighing the consequences of their decisions.

Until Beomgyu broke it when he closed his eyes and heaved a deep breath, before answering, "Fine. Give me three days."

At Lunch the next day, both of them expected that there would be no Nevers gathering near the stump, and they were right. However, Beomgyu was unbothered and continued to confidently stride towards Taehyun, a new set of clothing on his body. The Nevers were glaring at him, as if they were being ridiculed again. But Beomgyu ignored them, all except for a certain prince that was looking at him with disappointment. He closed his eyes as an attempt to erase that image and slumped down beside Taehyun.

They shared lunches and lessons. And Taehyun was grateful that Beomgyu followed his advice, earning him three top ranks on that day alone.

Three days later, as the two boys sparred with swords on one side of the Clearing, lunches forgotten on the grass, the new ranking boards were being tacked on the gates.

Taehyun at rank 4, and Beomgyu at rank 65.

They glanced at each other, a sense of hope rising in their systems.

They were going to get home soon.

~

Beomgyu had nightmares that night. Soobin raising a sword to stab him, before he ran away and bumped into Taehyun, who has blood flowing from his eyes. Then there was something crawling on the brunette's neck, a demon owned by someone who hates him to his core, and it pounced toward him. He quickly dodged before running again, until he found himself on the sewers, Jungkook's demon trailing behind him. He reached the midway of sludge and water, where the Beast rose and reached for him with his bloody hands, but he lunged past him and locked himself in the Doom Room. Only to see his own father there, a whip in hand and a silver mask on his face. His father raised his arms and the whip cracked against his skull.

He jolted awake, cold sweat flowing from his hairline as he heaved heavy breaths. He glanced around the room and found his roommates sleeping, catching sight of the other villain's tattooed arm before deciding to catch some air at a balcony. He couldn't bear looking at that thing.

Beomgyu found another dimmed balcony near his room. Fortunately there weren't much wolves patrolling at that side of the tower. He settled himself on the thick railing, and laid down, expecting to see some stars but was instead met with fog.

Without another thought, he pointed his now _glowing_ finger to the sky, red spark on its tip as he circles it around. The fog followed through, and a few seconds later, there was a circular hole within the fog, revealing a starry night sky.

He stared at the stars, letting his mind drift off. He thought about Taehyun and how they're going back to their homes; about Soobin and how the prince just looks so perfect in his eyes, and how happy he would be once he was finally his; about the School Master that seems _so familiar_ in ways he cannot explain.

Beomgyu unconsciously lifted his hand to touch his neck, the silver accessory there was long _gone_. He suddenly remembers his mother, and maybe that was why he decided to look at the stars. Because that was what she told him to do whenever he was puzzled. 

"Amazing."

Beomgyu jerked up at the sudden voice. There was a figure standing at an arm's length from him, staring at the hole he made between the fog.

"Spell-casting just started and you already grasp it so easily." The School Master muses, before looking at the student.

Beomgyu took a good look at the School Master's features, since the latter was standing fairly close to him, and it was a chance to somehow clear up his thoughts of the masked boy. Aside for the other's figure that was already etched in his mind, he took note of the round cheeks and plump lips on display, and the thin cat-like eyes peeking from underneath the silver mask.

He stood up, back against the railing as he put his glowing finger behind him. He had to keep his guard up.

"I thought you never want to see us again. Heck, I thought you _didn't_ want to show up to _anyone_." Beomgyu spat, glaring at the other.

"I said I didn't want to see you in my tower again. This isn't my tower, isn't it?" The School Master smiles, "Besides, _I wanted to see you_."

Beomgyu furrowed his eyebrows. _For what?_

"What could you possibly want _more_ from me?"

The School Master chuckles lightly, as if the blond boy said a joke, "Maybe the question should be 'what do _you_ want'?" He takes a step closer, "Because you know _what your heart desires_ , but why do you ignore it?"

Beomgyu looked up at the School Master when the latter stood right in front of him, too close that he felt the other's cold breath fanning his cheeks. His gaze was cold, and he pretended not to comprehend what the other just said, yet his heart hammered in his chest with that same _secret understanding_.

"You know that you want _your_ prince. Despite how many times you deny it. And it's not because you want to go home, or do you?"

"And what is it to you?" Beomgyu spat.

"Maybe you shouldn't let your friend _control_ you, and open your eyes." He leaned forward, lips hovering near the student's ear, "Because once you have your prince, he will take you away from him."

Beomgyu swallowed the lump in his throat and his hands clenched into fists, finger glowing bright red, and he said through gritted teeth, "I don't believe you."

The School Master pulls away and smiled at him, "Your choice. You know what your heart yearns for anyway." and with a sweep of his robe, he vanished.

Beomgyu stood there, head hung low as his mind races with different thoughts, until the confusion clouded his mind and his head ached.

Along with the School Master's words ringing in his ears, thunder roared and lightning striked on the castle towers. The hole he formed was now covered with darker clouds as rain started pouring hard, soaking him wet in his pajamas.

Then suddenly, the rain stops. And with heavy breaths, and an even heavier heart, Beomgyu dragged himself back into his chambers, wet clothing dripping on the floor but he couldn't care less.

As he slept in his bed again that night, the memory of a silver accessory long _forgotten_ , an awful _taste of iron_ lingered on his tongue.

_Blood_.

~

"Are you even sleeping?" Soobin mumbled to Beomgyu during Hoseok's lesson.

Beomgyu knew he got dark bags under his eyes after not getting much sleep the night before. He knows how awful he might've looked like; his lips were curved downwards, eyes gloomy, and his dirty blond hair was more messy. But on that day, he just doesn't care much.

"I'm too busy trying not to be the 'worst boy in school.'" He replied as he took notes.

"You can't expect anyone to listen to you when you're ranked lower than that goat-faced Never." Soobin whispered.

"When I'm #1, you'll ask me to forgive you."

"When you get to be #1, I'll ask you anything you want."

Beomgyu smiled, "I'll hold you to that."

He knows what the prince had made. Taehyun had mentioned it to him during one of their lunch lessons. It was the Prince's Code of Chivalry, in which Everboys would always keep their promises.

Beomgyu waited for the next day to tell the news to Taehyun.

"He said that?" Taehyun exclaimed, eyes wide with excitement.

"Told you I could do it." Beomgyu smugly says.

"Shut up. If I haven't prodded you, then you wouldn't." The brunette grins, "What are you going to tell him to ask you?" 

"About the Ball."

Taehyun's grin dissipated into a frown as he felt something hollowed in his chest, for reasons he doesn't quite know, "You can't ask that." He saw Beomgyu crease his forehead in confusion, and with a scratch of his nape, he continued, "We kind of took an oath to not propose to anyone before the Circle of Cyphers, it's the night before the Ball."

Beomgyu went silent, comprehending the other's words. And with a shrug, he said, "I can't do anything about that then. Guess we'll have to wait further."

As the two of them shared another lunchtime lectures, Taehyun piped up with an idea in mind. Beomgyu looked at him skeptically when the other explained his idea, but Taehyun was adamant in doing it that it left the blond no other choice but to accept.

Beomgyu thinks he would be Good that way.

~

"I'm sick." Taehyun said, coughing into his hand.

Professor Moon didn't look up from her parchment filled desk, "Ginger tea and two slices of grapefruit, every two hours."

"I tried that." He replies, increasing the volume of his coughs.

"Now is not the time to miss class, Taehyun." Professor Moon says as she files a stack of paper under her pumpkin desk, "We only have less than a month before the Ball and I want to make sure that our fourth-ranked student is well prepared for one of the most important night of his young life. Do you even have an Ever in mind?"

Taehyun exploded in a series of loud coughs and Professor Moon looked up with alarm.

"Feels like . . . _plague_." Taehyun wheezed, rubbing his chest.

Professor Moon went white.

Quarantined in his room, Taehyun morphed himself into a cockroach, before scampering away from his room, through the halls and towards the other castle, where Beomgyu waited for him at the same balcony.

"I can't believe it worked." Beomgyu whispered once the small cockroach tucked itself under the collar of his shirt.

"Of course it would. This school's bug fright caused them trauma that they closed down. The Woodswide Plague." Taehyun remarks.

Beomgyu nodded, remembering his lesson on Poisons and Plague that he told the other yesterday, which in turn gave Taehyun the idea to accompany the former in his classes. Partly because he wants to be with his friend, mostly because he was interested in the other's classes.

"Remind me if the three hours is up and I'll take you to a broom closet." Beomgyu says and the cockroach looked at him with wide eyes, utterly similar to Taehyun's, before nodding it's tiny head.

Taehyun hid under his friend's collar as he listens to the Evil lessons. He was a bit surprised when Beomgyu was able to answer all the questions and perform well at his challenges. But of course, the other was trying his best to get his rank back, and once again, Taehyun felt grateful for the other's efforts.

He had seen Beomgyu correctly answer Lady Wheein's question ("What's the first sign of a Nemesis Dream?" "Tasting blood"); had managed to negotiate with a Frost Giant during Henchmen; and determine which scarecrows were Good or Evil in Hoseok's challenge.

On the second day, he had seen his friend lose a tooth in Uglification, correctly match monsters in Namjoon's exam (Lalkies: _sweet-talkers_ ; Harpies: _child eaters_ ), and identify which of Hoseok's beanstalks were poisonous, edible, or Bangchan in disguise.

There were quite some moments where he almost slipped out of the collar, or when he nearly turned back to normal, but the two of them were able to work things out. ("Why can't we mogrify for more than three hours?" Taehyun complained as he slid back to his hiding place.)

By the third day, Taehyun hardly glanced at his Good homework, and spent his free time learning Evil spells from Beomgyu's parchments and books. He was way ahead of his classmates at that point. As they were having a hard time to make their fingers flicker, he could easily keep his glowing by thinking about all the things that made him angry: school, mirrors, lovers . . . Then all he had to do was follow a spell's recipe and he was already doing magic. Although it was all the simple playing with water and weather, it was still _real magic_.

He was first surprised at the incredulity, how this all seemed hard and impossible, but it all came so naturally as if he was born to do this. Where the others struggled to summon a drizzle, he was able to conjure thunderclouds in his room, removing the mural paintings with rain and enjoying the flashes of lightning that lights up his chamber. Time evaporated when he was studying Evil, he was filled with power and endless possibilities that he could never get bored. And for a brief moment, he wondered if Beomgyu was able to do this too. Before he concluded that he can, judging by how he excels in his classes.

One night, while waiting for Jimin to deliver his homework, Taehyun whistled harmoniously as he doodled.

"What the heck is _that_?"

He turned to Jimin on his crutches, standing in his doorway.

"Oh," he coughed and crumpled the paper, "my happy Ever After. Any homework?"

Jimin scolded him for slipping in the Ever ranks, reminded him to cover his mouth when he coughs, and explained every assignment twice, before he turned to leave.

Taehyun exhaled, glancing at the crumpled paper where a doodle of him flying through flames were sketched.

_Nevermore_. Evil paradise.

"We have to get home." He mumbled.

By the end of the week, Taehyun had seen Beomgyu on a magnificent winning streak in all his classes, including Hoseok's Trial Tune-Ups. It is a series of one-on-one duels that prepares them for the upcoming Magic Trial. Beomgyu defeated every person in his group using approved spells, whether stunning a fellow Never with lightning bolt, icing Hueningkai's lips before he could call for an animal to help, or liquefying Soobin's training sword.

"Someone's been doing his homework." Soobin said, astonished.

Beomgyu smiled proudly. Hidden under his collar, Taehyun felt a sense of pride for his friend, and something akin to void spreads in his chest.

And at the end of the third week, Beomgyu was up to #5 and his Lunch sessions had resumed due to popular demand.

"How the heck is he doing this?" Jungkook exclaimed at San as they bit into their lunch of cow tongues. "He could be cheating for all we know-" something flew by.

"It's called hardwork, or maybe hospitability." Beomgyu winked at him, before walking off to the crowd of Nevers.

Jungkook glared at the blond, before glancing behind him, seeing the piece of lunch he was about to bite into tacked onto a root with a small knife.

Beomgyu walked towards his crowd; his blond locks on a dirtier shade, unbuttoned shirt revealing a thin tank top that reveals a dangerous amount of chest, both tucked in tight leather pants held by his belt, and a pair of leather boots on his feet. A choker on his neck, and chained piercings on his ears completed his looks. Students from both schools all gaped at him as he started his lessons.

"He's cheating!" Hueningkai hissed to anyone who would listen, "Some rogue fairy godmother or time-turning spell. No one could manage all this."

But Beomgyu could. He would dress up different each day, beat his classmates in every challenge, fulfill his duties as a student, and train Nevers on the field. Passing San and climbing up to #2 in the rankings.

This time, Hueningkai couldn't stop Soobin from falling for Beomgyu. But Soobin tried hard to stop himself.

_He's a Never! So what if he's pretty? Or talented? Or smart or kind or generous-_

Soobin takes a deep breath.

_Evers can't like Nevers. You're just confused Soobin._

He felt relieved when Hoseok hosted another "Good or Evil" challenge. The Elf turned half of the group into blue pumpkins and hid them in the forest's patch.

_Just find an Ever and forget all about him_.

"This one's Good!" a Never yelled, and flicked a blue shell but nothing happened. The others couldn't tell the difference either and started debating when Hoseok scolded them that the challenge was not a group assignment.

As half of the group scattered to find the rest, Taehyun's roach clung onto Beomgyu's blue vine. They both watched as Soobin stopped in his tracks and turned to Beomgyu's pumpkin.

"He's coming." Taehyun whispered.

"How do you know?"

"Because that's the way he looked at me."

Soobin walked up to a pumpkin, "This one. This one's an Ever."

Hoseok frowned, "Look closely first-"

But Soobin ignored him and clasped its blue skin, and in a burst of glitterdust, the pumpkin turned into Beomgyu. A slimy green "20" appeared over the prince's head and a black "1" over Beomgyu's.

" _Only the best Evil can disguise as Good._ " Hoseok commended, "I suggest you study your rules, Son of Arthur, before you make a terrible mistake."

Soobin tried to look ashamed.

"We can't find any!" a voice called.

Hoseok turned to see the other students with low ranks smoking on top of their heads, he sighs, mumbling that he should've marked the other students before proceeding to search for them as well.

When the Elf was gone, Soobin let himself smile. He didn't care about the rules, not if it led him twice to that awful Taehyun. For the first time, he had found someone who had everything he wanted. Someone who wasn't a mistake.

"I think you owe me a question, Son of Arthur."

Soobin glanced at Beomgyu, who was wearing the same smile. He looked over at the Nevers' scoreboards above the forest. Woody was pecking his name at the very top.

Soobin took a step closer to Beomgyu, leaning in his ear as he whispers.

"Wolves doesn't like foxes. Meet me at the Blue Brook at midnight."

~

That night, Taehyun couldn't hide his excitement. Despite an unknown dread forming in the pits of his stomach, he buried it with thoughts of home.

The two friends were on the balcony, wondering what could happen at the meeting as they wait for midnight.

"So your prince did came." Taehyun said, gazing at his friend.

Beomgyu smiles at that, "And he's mine forever. Thanks for your help, Hyun."

Taehyun immediately frowned, "Forever?"

"Did I say that? I meant until we get back home."

They fell silent.

"We'll be heroes once we get back to Ttukseom, Beomie." Taehyun said softly, "You'll have the fame and riches and any boy you want. You'll read about Soobin in storybooks, but you'll always have the memories you shared with him."

Beomgyu hummed and slightly nodded, his eyes glinted with something similar to realization and he felt something in him awaken. But he quickly brushed it aside as he forces out a smile.

"And I'll have my graveyard and cat." Taehyun mumbled.

"You'll find love someday, Hyunnie."

Taehyun shook his head, "A villain like me can't find love. The School Master said so."

"He also said that we couldn't be friends." Beomgyu said, standing up, "But we are. So Hyunnie, will you come with me?" He held out his hand for the other to take.

Taehyun just stares at him, speechless.

Beomgyu smiled softly, "We're a team."

Taehyun had to remind himself that he didn't have time to cry.

~

Beomgyu's fox walked quietly through the Blue Forest, past trees shimmering with sleeping fairies and wolf guards who avoid him (because wolves think that foxes carry disease). He was able to arrive safely at the top of a bridge that overlooks the moonlit brook, his roach friend snuggled into his neck's chestnut brown fur.

"I don't see him." Taehyun whispered, a bit impatient.

"Don't you know how to wait-"

"Who are you talking to?"

Both of them turned at the blue fox stepping out from the shadows, familiar black orbs staring into his brown ones as it steps onto the bridge.

"I talk to myself when I'm nervous." Beomgyu uttered.

"I thought only princes and princesses get nervous. Not the best villain in school."

Beomgyu grinned, feeling Taehyun's roach writhing with anxiousness against his neck, "Only the best Good can disguise as Evil, especially when it has love to fight for."

"So it really was a mistake all along?" Soobin asked, circling him slowly.

"I had to play both sides in order to survive." Beomgyu answered.

They heard Soobin's steps stop, "According to the Prince Code, I have a promise to fulfill." His fur brushed against his own, "What would you like me to ask you?"

Beomgyu's heart choked in his chest. He closes his eyes, feeling the prince's gaze and his friend's anticipation. He takes a deep breath as he feels his heart start to hammer in a beat so loud it almost cracks, until he could feel something blooming from the inside. He grins, heart beating in a rhythm only he could understand.

"Do you see who I am now?" Beomgyu asks, opening his eyes to meet Soobin's.

Soobin went quiet for a moment, before he lifted the other's chin up with his warm paw, "You know this will throw both schools into upheaval."

"I know."

"You know no one will accept you as my prince."

"I know."

"You know you will spend the rest of your life trying to prove you're Good."

"I know."

Soobin stared into Beomgyu's eyes, dazed as he moves closer.

"But do you know that I'm going to kiss you now?"

Both boys gasped at the same time.

The moon's light reflected on the brook water lit up the foxes' brown and blue faces. Taehyun couldn't help but fidget with excitement as he mentally said goodbye to this world. He closed his eyes as Beomgyu closed his.

Beomgyu felt Soobin's warm, sweet breath grazing over his lips, when he smiled and pulled away.

Gazing into the prince's eyes, he said, "But we should wait."

Taehyun's eyes flashed open.

"Of course. Yeah, sure." Soobin stammered, "I'll walk you to your tunnel."

They walked back in silence, Beomgyu's brown tail curled around Soobin's blue ones. Soobin looked at him and surrendered a smile. Taehyun watched all this, anger rising in his neck. And when the prince vanished into his tunnel, he scampered onto Beomgyu's nose.

"What are you doing?"

Beomgyu didn't answer.

"That was a chance! We could've gotten home by now. Why didn't you kiss him?"

Beomgyu looked at the bug on his nose, "It's not the right time Taehyun."

"What do you mean it's _not_? We're doing all this so that you could kiss him." Taehyun yelled, "The chance was basically handed to us! Go run after him! He wouldn't be too far-"

Beomgyu brushed Taehyun off his face, and peered at him from above, eyes dark and cold, "Stop telling me what to do with _my_ prince."

He disappeared into the dark tunnel, leaving Taehyun dumbfounded on the dead leaves.


	10. Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So it's you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a long chapter ahead! good luck! hhhh

The faculty of the School for Good and Evil had seen many things over the years; pathetic first years that ended up richer than kings, Class Captains that ended up as pigeons or crows; as well as pranks, protests, raids, kisses, and vows.

But they had never ever seen an Ever and a Never hold hands in the lunch line.

"Are you sure about this?" Beomgyu asks, briefly glancing at the glaring teachers from balconies.

"If you're good enough for me, then you're good enough for a basket of your own." Soobin said, pulling him forward as he guide the other.

"I suppose they should get used to it." Beomgyu shrugs. "Especially for the Ball." The prince tensed, and he noticed, "No pressure Binnie. I'll wait for the proposal 'til the Circus Crowning."

Soobin gave him a relieved smile before collecting his lunch basket from a green-haired nymph, "And one for him as well."

The nymph ignored Beomgyu and held out the basket for the next Ever, but Soobin grabbed the handle.

"I said one for him."

The nymph tightened its grip on the basket, and so did the prince.

Beomgyu watched in amusement until the nymph surrendered the basket with a grunt. Soobin handed it to him with a smile, "Like you said, they better get used to it."

His eyes twinkled, "You'll take me?"

"Of course. You're so beautiful when you want something."

Beomgyu placed his palm on the prince's cheek, "Then promise me." He gazed deep into the prince's eyes, "Promise me that you'll take me to the Ball."

Soobin looked down at Beomgyu, his brown orbs was pulling him in as he leaned on the warm hand resting on his face. Taking in the other's features, he gulped, placing his own hand above the Never's, and pulling it down as he exhales.

"All right. I promise. But tell anyone and I'll put a snake in your boutonniere."

Beomgyu's lips broke into a breathtaking smile, showcasing his white pearls and his eyes sparkled. Soobin swore that the surroundings lit up for a moment.

And with that, the #1 Ever and #1 Never, storybook enemies in body and soul, sat hand in hand under a towering oak. Soobin noticed all the Evers glaring at him, stunned by his disloyalty. Beomgyu noticed Nevers glowering at him, as if he had betrayed them after all the empowerment he proclaimed, and he tried to hide his smile by biting into his lunch.

"Is the witch still contagious? It's his first day back in class." Soobin asked.

Beomgyu glanced at Taehyun, sitting at their usual spot, staring right at him.

"If that's the case, how do you think I would know?" Beomgyu playfully responds, giggling after.

Soobin's cheeks flushed pink. He watched the other laughing at his statement, and then he started laughing with him. He never thought he could feel like this towards another person. Despite all the glares sent his way, he thinks that Beomgyu would be worth it, or else, he _hopes_ so.

"There's no way I would pick that witch again in a challenge."

Beomgyu tilts his head to the side, "Why do you say so?"

Soobin gazed at him fondly, "Because now that I found my prince, I won't let him go."

Beomgyu felt his heart pound at the prince's words. A fluttery feeling of happiness blooming from within, pushing away a _thorn_ in his chest. But that thorn only sank deeper, piercing through the temporary bliss as it shifts into _mischief_.

"Even if it means waiting a lifetime for a kiss?" He whispers.

"Even if it means waiting a lifetime for a kiss." Soobin answers.

Beomgyu leaned on the other's shoulder, sighing dreamily.

On the balconies of the two schools, the faculty watched the lovebirds nuzzle under the sun, before they gave each other dark looks, moving to go back into their chambers.

In a chilly shade where they once sat, Taehyun remained still, not making any movements. Like the teachers, he knows that this romance was doomed. Not just because they are currently from different schools, fighting for different reasons and bound by opposing rules, but because they are going to end up fighting _each other_.

In what they called Magic Trial.

~

"To win a Magic Trial is one of the greatest honors at the School for Good and Evil." Jimin declares, now standing on his own two feet beside Taehyung inside the Swan Theater, with the ten Forest Group leaders behind them and the gathered students sitting at the pews. "Once a year, each groups' best Ever or Never are sent into the Blue Forest for a night to see who would last until morning. To win, a student must survive /both/ the School Master's traps and the other side's attacks. The last one standing at dawn is declared the winner and given five additional first-place ranks." Jimin smiled proudly, "And as you all know, Good has won the past two hundred Trials."

Good bursted into a chant of "EVERS RULE! EVERS RULE! EVERS-"

"ARE STUPID, ARROGANT FOOLS." Taehyung snarled, and the Evers shut up.

"A week from today, each Forest Group will send its top Ever and Never into the Trial. But before we announce the competitors, let us briefly review the rules." Jimin announces.

"I heard Hueningkai took first in Good Deeds awhile ago." Mingi whispered to Soobin, "That Never making you soft?"

Soobin rolled his eyes and scoffed, uneasy, "Do the boys hate me?"

"Can't be messing with a Never, mate." Mingi looked at him with a stern face, "Even if he _i_ _s_ the fairest, smartest, most talented boy in school."

Soobin slumped in his seat, doubt filling in his system. He doesn't let it take over though as he bolted upright.

"I can prove that he's Good! I can prove it in the Trial."

"Hueningkai or Taehyun might have your group's spot." Mingi responds.

Chest tightening, Soobin glanced at Beomgyu looking at him from the Evil's side. The blond boy smiled at him, and he felt himself relaxing. He thought about their future depending on him making into the Trial, and from there, he knows he couldn't fail him.

"According to the rules, there could be more than one winner in a Magic Trial." Jimin says, "However, those who lasts until dawn would split the first-place ranks. It would put you in great benefit if you eliminate your competition. Additionally, the School Master prefers a single winner and will place as many obstacles as he can to ensure it. For the rest of the week, all classes will be dedicated to preparing these 10 Evers and 10 Nevers for their night in the Blue Forest." The students conversed with excitement, "Class challenges will be restricted to these competitors _only_. Those with worst scores will enter the Trial first, and those with the best will enter significantly later. This is, of course, a huge advantage. The less time you spend in the Magic Trial, the more chance you come out alive."

Students stopped talking, and Jimin realized what he just worded out.

Forcing out a laugh, he said, "It's a figure of speech. No student _dies_ in a Trial."

Taehyung coughed, "But what about-"

"The competition is completely _safe_." Jimin smiled down at the students. "Each one would be given a flag of surrender. If you find yourself in mortal danger, just drop it to the ground and you will be rescued unharmed. The rules will be further discussed in various classes, but now, I give the floor to the Forest Group leaders to announce this season's Trial competitors."

One by one, the Forest Group leaders announced the names of the competitors; Hyunjin and a one-eyed Never from group 9, Yunho and pointy-eared Hongjoong from 7, Jisung and Jungkook from 6 . . .

Beomgyu yawned through it all; glancing at Soobin every once in a while, daydreaming the life of a king. Then Hoseok stepped forward. Beomgyu relaxes more in his seat, expectant as he looks at Soobin and Hueningkai, both on the edge of their seats as they wait for the Elf's next words.

_Please let it be Soobin._

"From Group 3, Soobin will represent Good." Hoseok said.

Beomgyu tried to stifle a smile.

"And Beomgyu will represent Evil."

And then, acted like he was surprised, noticing the smirks thrown at him.

"Suppose that's the problem with dating a villain." Mingi said, "It's all love and kisses until you have to kill them."

Soobin ignored him and thought of a plan to prove that Beomgyu is Good. He mentally thanked the heavens that his father was already dead, or else he would have a heart attack from what the prince is about to do.

As Evers left through the west doors, and Nevers through the east, Beomgyu remained seated in the blackened pews, waiting for the last Nevers to leave.

A shadow moved towards him.

"All I asked is that ya stay out of my way . . ."

Jungkook whispered, breath chilly on the back of his neck.

"And here ya are #1 Villain, making us all fools. May I remind ya that a villain's story doesn't end happily. It ends with ya, and ya prince, _dead_."

Beomgyu felt cold lips graze his ear, "And that's no figure of speech."

Beomgyu grinned. Everything felt _different_ for him these days. Back then, he would be terrified of the spoken and unspoken threats directed his way, but now, he finds it _amusing_ , entertaining even, that he was able to rile up a bunch of useless and stupid villains. If back then, he would come up with a snarky retort every time a Never insults him, these days he would ignore them and pass them by, knowing that he is _above_ them no matter what. Because he knows that he had caught the _first sign_ that he was Evi-

He flinched, a warm hand was on his shoulder. He turned and saw the prince, _his_ prince, looking at him with concern and conviction.

"I know right now we're on different sides." Soobin breathes out, "But we're not going to fight each other."

Beomgyu blinked, "We're . . . not?"

"We'll fight _with_ each other." Soobin smiles reassuringly, dimples showing, "Everyone will know you're Good if I protect you."

Beomgyu's heart races at the prince's words. The sincerity in Soobin's eyes tugs on his heartstrings, as he steps up and hugs the other, his thoughts becoming messy.

"You're the best Never by a mile. Just win your challenges so we can enter the Trial at the same time." Soobin pulls away, "We're a team." And with a brush on the blond's scarred cheek, he left through the Ever doors.

_A team_ . . . 

His heart ached, the strong façade wavers.

_But I don't want to rely on you._

Before he could exit through the Never doors, he turned slowly.

Taehyun sat in the blue pews, all alone.

Beomgyu stared at him, Taehyun stared back, both of them not saying anything.

Minutes passed by, the howls of wolves and ringing of bells echo through the empty halls. The longer they stared, the more Beomgyu felt his heart stir with different emotions; _anger, fear, corruption, guilt_. Until he couldn't handle it anymore and he left, slamming the door behind him.

_What am I even doing? Why am I thinking like this?_

"I'm not Evil." He whispered to himself.

He thought of his prince, he thought of his friend.

_There's got to be a way to stop those dreams._

"I'm Good . . . I'm Good." He repeats like a mantra. "And I'm going to prove it."

However, that night, Beomgyu had his second dream.

Streaks of black and white, the taste of blood on his tongue. As droplets of red rain fall onto his face, he found himself tied onto a white stone table, dark violet thorns securing his hands and feet in place. He tried to wriggle his body free, but suddenly, a sharp steel knife was hovering above him. The script he had once seen is engraved on it, before the scriptures flew into thin air and tattooed itself on his body. He struggled to get free, but the knife plunged into him with vengeance. Pain flooded his stomach, and his heart pounded against its thorns, before one sank deep into it. A pure red seed, something that _awakened_ him before he could realize, something that _bloomed_ inside of him before he could prevent, something that he _desperately_ tried to bury but always _revives_. Then he saw a milky mass, growing bigger . . . A face . . . A face too blurry to see.

Beomgyu jolted awake, blood burning in his veins.

He grips on his _darker_ blond hair with both hands, breathing heavily with unknown rage.

_No . . . I'm not Evil . . ._

He decided not to sleep for the rest of the night.

~

Head throbbing, Beomgyu dragged himself along the halls to his Uglification class. He sat at his desk and buried his face in his arms, attempting to just sleep the class off. However, Yoongi announced a challenge for the competing 10 Nevers: to conjure a disguise that would scare an Ever at first sight. As Jungkook's potion made his body explode with spikes, and as San's potion made his skin transparent showing his blood vessels, Beomgyu slept through it all.

In Henchmen, the Trial Nevers had to tame a Fire Giant, a nine-foot hunk of orange skin and flaming hair. Beomgyu was spacing out in the middle of it, his head was still aching. Ignoring the raging of his blood, he focused on how to be Good _again_ , eventually deciding to get low scores to enter the Trial early, all in order to show Soobin that he was also ready to fight for him too.

He was so deep into his thoughts that he didn't notice the Giant he was supposed to tame, and Taehyung had to intervene before it ate him.

Then Lady Wheein asked the Trial Nevers to name a "spell that can only be undone by the one who casts it."

Feeling the gush of hot blood, he thought, _Petrification_.

"Answers?"

Shivering, the Nevers held up carved ice tablets:

**Jungkook: Petrification**

**San: Petrification**

**Beomgyu: Stun**

"If only love was the answer to _everything_." Lady Wheein mocked, earning him another "10" out of 10.

"What happened?" Soobin said as he pushed him through the Evers line.

Beomgyu didn't answer.

"You can't be in that Forest without me!"

Beomgyu followed the prince's eyes to scowling Evers. When the Trial comes, they'd be out for revenge. 

His heart raced in excitement, but he shook his head.

"I just don't feel too good." Beomgyu mumbled before going back to his room.

Once he opened the door, he froze.

His bed had disappeared, his clothes hung above his head, noosed and mutilated like headless corpses.

On the other bed, San looked up from _Killing_ _Pretty Boys._ Jungkook looked up from _Killing Even Prettier Boys_.

Blood boiling, Beomgyu slammed the door behind him and made his way to his balcony.

Calming his nerves down in the middle of the foggy platform, his mind started to become messy again.

_All of this doesn't matter_ , he thought, _If I could stop those dreams and prove that I'm Good, these wouldn't matter. I'd be in the right school, with my prince, and my Ever After-_

Voices echoed along the halls, Beomgyu hid at the balcony wall.

"Jungkook said that whoever kills Beomgyu during the Trial will be his Hench Captain next year." The one-eyed Never said, "But it needs to be accidental or we'll get expelled."

"We have to beat San to it!" A green-skinned Never said, "He might even kill him before the Trial."

"Jungkook said _during_ the Trial. Even Hongjoong knows that. Did you hear their plan to kill him? Ha! That boy is so dead."

"I can't believe we listened to that traitor's lectures. Next thing we know, he'd have us wearing pink and kissing Evers."

"He humiliated us all and now he'll pay. Nine of us, one of him. Odds aren't in his favor."

Their cackles filled the empty halls.

Beomgyu didn't move from the fog. It wasn't just his roommates, but the whole school wants him dead.

His heart pounded with anticipation as a grin form in his lips.

_Two can play at that game._

_Maybe I should enter early to teach them a lesson._

The second day went just like the first, with Beomgyu earning three more last places. He also didn't show up for Soobin at lunch, making the prince frustrated.

The next day, the challengers spent the first two sessions being fitted for their Trial uniforms: dark blue tunics with matching hooded wool cloaks. With twenty students in the same cloaks, it would be impossible to distinguish Evers from Nevers, adding the fact that the whole Forest is blue.

In his Curses class, Beomgyu sat for another challenge he plans to lose. With his body adapting to the ice cold chamber, he waited for another last place.

"A villain kills for one purpose: to destroy his Nemesis. The one who grows stronger as you grow weaker. Only when your Nemesis is _dead_ will you feel quenched." Lady Wheein sneers, eyeing the dark blond-haired Never, "Only the best Nevers will have Nemesis Dreams, so most of you will venture your whole life without taking another's life. But you could consider yourselves lucky because killing requires the purest Evil. _None_ of you are pure enough to kill yet."

Beomgyu heard grumbles around him. He felt sick to his stomach when the statement reminded him of the Beast.

_No . . ._ _It's_ _different . . . Any prince would do the same to a villain._

"But since the Magic Trial is a _harmless_ exercise," Lady Wheein smiled at him, "why not prepare with my favorite challenge."

She created a phantom prince with brown curls, freckled cheeks, and a sweet smile across its face.

_"Murder Practice_. Whoever kills them the cruelest way wins."

"Finally, something useful." Jungkook growled, eyeing Beomgyu.

Beomgyu pretended to be disturbed.

With the prince locked behind a door and suspicious of strangers, the Trial Nevers had to be creative to kill him. San knocked on the door and left a carnivorous bouquet outside it. Jungkook shrank into a cute bunny and offered his victim a bunch of balloons.

"Thanks!" The prince beamed as the balloons pulled him up, into the razor-sharp icicles on the ceiling.

Beomgyu held back a laugh, and instead coughed.

"Who's next?" Lady Wheein said after sealing a new prince behind the door, "Oh, yes, _you_." She drummed her long red fingernails on Beomgyu's desk.

Beomgyu stared at her, jaw taut. He was not going to attempt to do anything.

"Another fail, it seems." The teacher leered.

Beomgyu felt his heart pound against his ribcage, as if something inside him wanted to break out. He tried supressing the feeling, but before he knew it, he was already walking to the door, past his surprised teacher, finger glowing red.

He banged on the door. But when the door opened, his fingerglow dimmed.

It was his own face staring back at him, only without the scar on its cheek, and its hair back into bright blond. To win this challenge, he had to kill . . . _himself_.

Beomgyu saw Lady Wheein smirking in the corner.

"May I help you?" Prince Beomgyu asked, the same honey voice dripping from its lips.

_It's just a ghost_. Beomgyu gritted his teeth at the sight of his once flawless visual, and he felt his finger burn once more.

"You look like a stranger."

Beomgyu started breathing heavily.

" _Mother_ said never talk to strangers."

His blood started boiling against his skin, his finger glowing brighter.

"I should go. Mother's calling."

He caught sight of the silver necklace, and his vision turned red.

"Goodbye." said the prince, closing the door.

_Goodbye indeed_.

But before the door could move an inch, the blond phantom started burning. The necklace first caught fire, before it scattered to its face and body. The flames burning hot against the ice room that it melted some of the ice furnitures, flooding the floor. A horrifying scream echoed in the room.

The Nevers collectively gasped and shared the same shocked faces. Lady Wheein's eyes were so wide it could almost pop.

A red "1" appeared on Beomgyu's head before he stormed out the room.

~

Beomgyu sat in another one of the many balconies of the school, his fingers gripping tightly on his dark blond strands as he tremble with a mix of rage and fear, both rooted from his dreams. The dreams making him a villain, powering his system to reach for the top of the rankings. He is at the top, and yet here he is, scared of what he was becoming.

He wanted to be Good, he wanted his prince, he wanted his friend.

_But at what cost?_

His heart ached, making it harder for him to breathe as tears started rolling down his cheeks.

"We insist you remove Beomgyu from the Trial."

The said boy perched up at the familiar voice of his cat-like professor. He wiped the tears from his face and looked around yet he was only met with fog. Until he caught sight of a light from a half-open classroom window. Carefully, he went over the balcony railings and clung to the viny walls, slowly making his way towards the bottom windowsill. He perched himself up behind the closed window, and tried to peek inside.

From there, he saw the faculty of both schools, occupying the rusted seats of the classroom, with Professor Moon standing on the dragon-skull lectern.

"The Nevers plan to kill him, Byulyi." said Yoongi, cat whiskers twitching along as he frowns.

"Yoongi, we have secure measures in place to prevent a student's death."

"Let's hope they're more secure than four years ago." Yoongi shot back.

"We all agreed that Seungmin's death was an _accident_." Professor Moon declared.

The room went silent. Beomgyu's forehead creased at the name.

Seungmin of Ttukseom. Taken with Yongbok four years ago.

_What does that mean?_

Taehyung broke the silence, "There is another reason why Beomgyu should be removed from the Trial. The fairies say he and the Everboy plan to act as a team."

"As a team?" Professor Moon gasped, "An Ever and a Never?"

"Imagine if word got out into the Woods if they won!" Professor Hyejin shrieked.

"So either he dies or destroys this school." Yoongi growled.

"Byulyi, this is an easy decision." Lady Wheein said.

"There are no rules that a qualified student should be removed. It never happened and it never will." Byulyi defended.

"Qualified? He flunked most but one challenge this week! That prince had convinced him he's Good!" Yoongi said.

"Maybe he's just pressured." Princess Yongsun chimed.

"Or he had deceived us into thinking that he was Evil's great hope!" Hyejin said, "He should have failed before the Trial!"

"Then why didn't he?" Professor Seokjin asked.

"Every time we tried to fail him, another student got last place instead. It happened for weeks!" Yoongi exclaimed, "Someone stopped him from failing before he _questionably_ started to excel."

The Evil teachers furiously grumbled in agreement.

"It makes perfect sense! He's a great student then." Byulyi said over them, in which she earned another round of complaints, "Then what? Some mysterious busybody that no one has ever _seen_ flits into your towers and meddles with your ranks?"

"You describe the School Master quite well, Byulyi." Lady Wheein snarled.

"Don't be ridiculous Lady Wheein. Why would the School Master interfere with a student's ranks?"

"Because he'd love to see Evil's 'best' student win behind Good's shield!" Lady Wheein hissed, her violet orbs seething with anger, "A student who even I foolishly thought had hope, until now. But if Beomgyu wins with that pathetic prince, I will not stand by Byulyi. No! I will not just sit and watch the School Master, or you and your arrogant beasts to destroy my life's work. Let Beomgyu compete in that Trial and you are risking more than just his life. You hear me? You are risking _war_."

The room went dead silent.

Professor Moon cleared her throat. "Perhaps he can compete next year-"

Beomgyu frowned.

"You give in to Evil!" Professor Seokjin gasped.

"Only to protect the boy!" Byulyi said.

"But the Everboy would still love him!" Jimin warned.

"A week in the Doom Room will fix that." said Lady Wheein.

"We still can't find the Beast." Hyejin said.

"Then get a new one!" Lady Wheein snarled.

The teachers burst into a noisy commotion, yelling at each other that it was hard to tell who's speaking to who. Until someone whistled with loud authority and everyone turned to the man standing in the corner.

"This school has one mission only." Professor Namjoon starts, "And it is to protect the balance between Good and Evil. If Beomgyu's participation in the Trial disturbs this balance, then he must be disqualified immediately. But luckily, the proof of this balance is in front of your eyes."

Everyone's gaze shifted and Beomgyu tried to see what they were looking at, but he realized they were looking in different directions.

"Do we agree that the balance is _still_ intact?" Professor Namjoon asks.

No one argued.

"Then Beomgyu will compete in the Magic Trial and we have nothing more to discuss."

Beomgyu grinned. However, it immediately turned into a frown, his inner conflict rising up again.

"Always so sensible, Namjoon." Lady Wheein said as she stands up, "However, I could still admit that the boy shows he's talented, but I don't understand why he's making a huge mistake like this. A mistake so _unforgivable_ that it would be more favorable for him to die, and only then will his story have the ending it _deserves_."

She stomped out the room and the Evil teachers followed.

~

"I think Mingi would take me to the Ball. I asked everyone if they would say yes to him and they all said no! He could take you but I don't think he likes you. So there's a huge chance that he would take me." Yunho blabbered.

Taehyun sat with Yunho at the Clearing, munching on their spiced corn cobs, as Taehyun tuned the other out. He could see Beomgyu and Soobin arguing at the mouth of the tree tunnel. It looks like Beomgyu was trying to reassure the frustrated Soobin, but the prince shoved him away. Beomgyu, who looks just as frustrated, rubbed his temples and slumped to the ground.

"Are you listening to me?"

Taehyun turned to him, "He'll ask you, don't worry."

"How are you even so sure?" Yunho questions.

Taehyun was about to answer when a small piece of parchment flew into the air and landed onto his basket. He glanced up, meeting Beomgyu's eyes as Soobin dragged him into the Evers line.

As Yunho kept on talking, Taehyun pulled out the parchment. It only had four words.

_We need to talk_.

~

Taehyun's cockroach safely made its way towards the balcony where they usually met. Beomgyu was there already, sitting on the thick railing with pieces of fabric beside him. When he saw the cockroach scampering near the wall, Beomgyu moved the clothes towards it and looked away.

"No one likes you these days." Taehyun started, "I wonder why."

Beomgyu remained silent as he looked back at Taehyun. The latter comfortably wearing the black clothes as he crosses his arms and glared at the former. 

"You said we're a team. You said you wanted to go home! That's why I put up with all of these stuff, but you suddenly dropped me."

"I did everything I could to have Soobin. I just couldn't go home that easily at that time." Beomgyu explained softly, breathing evenly to supress the mess of emotions in his chest.

Taehyun pinched the bridge of his nose and exhales, "What did you want to talk about?"

Beomgyu told him about the whole school wanting to kill him, and about the faculty meeting. Taehyun frowned throughout the explanation, a growing worry for his friend forms at his insides.

"We're getting close to the end, Beomie." Taehyun whispered, skin going white, "Someone always die at the end of a fairy tale."

"So what do we do now?" Beomgyu asked, anxious.

"You have to win that Trial and kiss Soobin the moment you do. I'm not going to wait any longer, not when your life's in danger." Taehyun said, grabbing a hold of Beomgyu's shoulders, "Swear you'll kiss him, or else I'll curse you with every Evil spell I know until you do."

Beomgyu chuckled, he knows every spell that Taehyun does because he was the one that taught it, but the little threat made him feel lighter.

He pulled Taehyun in for a hug, "I'll have my whole life to make it up to you for this." He feels something prickle his skin, and Beomgyu hugged him tighter.

"I have to go now." Taehyun said before he pulled away. He went to mogrify again and the clothes fell to the floor.

As Taehyun's cockroach skittered for the stairwell, Beomgyu picked up the clothes. With his emotions running haywire, he forced himself to sleep on the balcony, clutching on the fabric as if his life depended on it.

~

It is a tradition for the school to have no classes on the day before the Trial, which is why the 20 competitors were given time to scout the Blue Forest. While unpicked students worked on their talents for the Circus, Beomgyu trudged behind Soobin through the gates, aware of the chill between them.

Although the winter season slowly approaches, the Blue Forest still glistened under the mid-day sun. The students tried to ask their professors on what obstacles they would face, but they claimed that the School Master designed it in secret and that they have no idea either. The teachers revealed that they couldn't even watch the competition since the School Master would cast a veiling spell over the forest, and that they were only asked to secure the borders.

Professor Moon told them that they were forbidden to interfere, as the School Master prefers that Trials should simulate the dangers of the actual Woods. She looks anxious as she explains, making the students antsy in their seats.

But as the competitors crowd into the Forest behind Beomgyu and Soobin, none of them could believe that a night from now, this beautiful landscape would turn into a hellish playground. The Evers and Nevers herded past fields, brooks, and trails, before they remembered that they were enemies and split up.

Soobin looked at Beomgyu, "Follow me." 

"I'll go on my own." Beomgyu said softly.

"Now is not the time to be stubborn, Beomgyu." Soobin gritted.

"I'm not being stubborn, Binnie." He met the prince's gaze.

"Then what? Why are you doing this?"

"I wanted to prove that I can survive without you. I didn't want to rely on you on this."

Soobin stared at him, "You lost on purpose?" Beomgyu nodded, "Are you insane? The Nevers will kill you!"

"I know! But it's okay!" Beomgyu moved in front of him and held the prince's cheek, "You'd risk your life to prove that I'm Good. I'm willing to fight for you too."

For a moment, Soobin wanted to scold the boy in front of him. But as he stared at the other's eyes, those beautiful orbs that he loved to get lost into, he let out a sigh, relaxing his tensed shoulders as he pulled him in his arms.

"Promise me you'll be here when I come through those gates."

"I promise." Beomgyu breathed.

The prince pulled away, "Stay away from Nevers, all right?" He smiled before he sprinted to catch up to the other Everboys in the pumpkin patch.

"He's still a villain, mate. He won't get special treatment from us." Mingi's voice echoed.

Beomgyu didn't hear what the prince replied. And instead, he stayed there, glancing at his quiet surroundings, contemplating on what he should do because at that moment, he has no idea.

"What should I do now?"

"Just survive the Trial, Gyu." The roach under his collar chirped, "It's forbidden to use nonapproved spells, so I guess you'll be fine. You've managed to beat them in your classes anyway."

Beomgyu snorted, a smile creeping on his face, "I guess. I mean what could they possibly do to me?"

Something grazed his head. He whipped around and saw a gash in the oak trunk, right where he was standing. He looked up and saw Hongjoong straddling a branch above him, a sharp stick in hand.

"Just curious to see how tall you are." Hongjoong said.

Beomgyu's fist clenched. The Nevers were getting on his nerves.

Then another Never showed up from behind another oak and checked the mark, "Yeah, he'll fit."

He fought the urge to slam the two against the trees as he hid his finger in his pockets. And instead, he whistled lowly before leaving the Forest.

From a distance, he could hear the Nevers complaining about wasps, but he ignored them and went to the Evers tunnel.

Carefully pulling roach Taehyun from his collar, he whispered, "Wish me luck, Tyun." before he settled his friend on the grass and walked to his own tunnel.

~

Taehyun sneaked around the halls, avoiding the patrolling fairies on their curfew inspections, and made his way to the Valor towers. The teacher's bedchambers adjoined their offices, and he plans to corner Namjoon into answering his questions, even considering to tie the blind man into his bed if he had to.

He was left with no other choice as he couldn't sneak into the Trial. Not that he doesn't trust Beomgyu's skills, but the amount of students that are going after him is terrifyingly overwhelming that he couldn't stand not to do anything. Namjoon was their last hope to get home.

The stairs led right to his study, the lone door on Valor's sixth floor. Standing in front of it, he saw a stream of blue dots across its frame. Taehyun ran his finger over them.

_"No students allowed on this floor. Return to your room immediately."_ Namjoon's voice boomed.

Taehyun grabbed the doorknob and pointed his glowing finger at the lock, but the door creaked open on its own.

Namjoon wasn't inside, but he hadn't been long gone as Taehyun noticed the warm tea on his desk. He looked around the study, suffocated with books on the shelves, chairs, and floor. There were a few open ones, and Taehyun curiously swept his hand over the colorful dots.

A misty scene exploded out of the book and came in a woman's voice: 

_"A ghost cannot rest until it has fulfilled its purpose. For that it must use the body of a seer."_

Taehyun watched a scene of a ghost crash into the body of a bearded old man, before it vanished. He touched another set of dots in the next book:

_"In a seer's body, a spirit may last only seconds before both seer and spirit will be destroyed."_

In front of his eyes, two bodies merged and then crumbled to dust. He ran his fingers across more dots.

_"Only the strongest seers can host a spirit."_

_"Most seers die before the ghost ever takes hold."_

Taehyun grimaced, _What is with his obsession for seers-_

His heart stopped.

_The paintings, the proof_.

Could Namjoon _see the future_?

Could he see if they got home?

"Taehyun!"

Taehyun jerked at Professor Moon's voice and he turned to see her at the doorway.

"Namjoon's alarm- I thought it was an intruder, but a student! Out of bed after curfew."

Taehyun scurried past her to get downstairs.

"You'll have two weeks cleaning toilets!"

Taehyun glanced back to see Professor Moon sweep her hands over Namjoon's books with a frown. She caught him watching and magically slammed the door.

~

Beomgyu had trouble sleeping that night. Not just because of the fear to dream, but because he was anxious for the Trial. He was aware, _too aware_ , of what was happening to him, yet he didn't want to accept it. With his innate impulsivity, stubbornness, and being short-tempered in the recent events, he fears that in the Trial, he might not be able to control himself and wreak havoc.

He rubbed his eyes with the palms of his hands, and looked at the fog as if it would have the answer he needs. He was staying at the balcony for quite some nights now that his roommates had basically kicked him out.

After the sleepless nights he had been pulling off to avoid the dreams, despite dozing off in class intervals and any time he could, it was still not enough to fulfill his necessity. And so, as he mentally hopes to not dream of anything, he dozes off at the balcony wall, the clothes that his friend wore tight in his grasp.

Only for the third dream to come.

Streaks of white and red, before a blurred milky face appeared. Glints of red lining the features, until it eventually disappeared as iron on his tongue.

For the first time since the first sign, Beomgyu slept peacefully.

In the other tower, Taehyun dreamt that Ttukseom was on fire. A trail of burning black robes led him onto the cemetery, but when he reached the top of the small hill, he found a grave instead of his house. Then he heard sounds from within and started digging. He hears voices now, getting nearer, until he woke up to them next door.

"You said it was important!" Soobin yelled.

"The Nevers said that Beomgyu is cheating with Taehyun." Hueningkai said.

"Beomgyu is not friends with Taehyun! Beomgyu is just being nice because they're both from Woods Beyond. But Taehyun's a witch."

"They both are! Taehyun turns into a cockroach and sneaks into Beomgyu's classes. They saw it awhile ago near the Tunnel."

"A cockroach? So you're not just petty and jealous, but completely insane!"

"They are _using_ you! Can't you see that?"

" _You're_ listening to Nevers! How would I believe you? Beomgyu wouldn't do such thing. He wants to keep me safe, that's why he lost those challenges on purpose!"

Taehyun couldn't hear the rest of the conversation as wind chimed in through his windows. And he lay there, silent as he couldn't get back to sleep. His thoughts wander to the commotion outside his door, and he found it funny that everyone thinks Beomgyu is cheating just because he's _doing well_ on the other school.

Naturally, his mind drifted to the other boy. Remembering their talk on the balcony, how everyone wants him to die, Taehyun knew he had to do something to help his friend.

He peeked outside his door, deciding to pay the library a visit. All the rooms in the hall looked dark except for the Trial Evers', who were staying up to prepare for the following night. As he was sneaking a glance, his eyes landed on an indoor plant placed near the end of the hall. An idea came in mind.

In his silk pajamas, Taehyun tiptoed barefoot out of the room and up the glass stairs, eyes pinned upward for fairies or teachers.

Little did he know that five floors down, Soobin was looking at him through the spiral gap, suddenly wondering if Hueningkai was telling the truth.

Leaving his boots at the bottom, Soobin followed Taehyun through the halls towards Honor's fourth floor, which is entirely occupied by the Library of Virtue. He peeked in to see the brunette disappear in a column of books, two stories high and kept by a tortoise, who was fast asleep above a thick library log with a feathered pen in hand.

As soon as Taehyun found what he needed, he sneaked out past the reptile and the prince, who failed to see the title of the book. His steps diminished and soon he was gone.

Soobin frown and creased his forehead, wondering what murderous plan did the witch have, and if Beomgyu was involved in it and plans to betray him. He stood up, heart clenching, but he heard a scratching sound.

Turning, he saw the feathered pen magically finish writing in the tortoise's log, before falling back into the sleeping creature's hand. Curious, Soobin moved in to peer at the log.

_Flower Power: Plant Charms (Taehyun, Purity 51)_

Soobin rolled his eyes, scolding himself for doubting his prince before going back to retrieve his boots.

~

The rules of the Magic Trial were few and precise. At the moment the sun went down, the first two challengers would enter the Blue Forest, and then after a twenty-minute interval, another two would enter according to their pre-Trial rankings, with the last pair entering after more than three hours. Once they are inside, Nevers could attack with their talents and any spell they learned in class, while Evers could defend themselves with approved weapons or counterspells. All while the School Master's creatures would hunt them both. There were no other rules. Each challenger would be given an enchanted handkerchief, which they could drop whenever they recognize mortal danger; and the moment it touched the ground, they would be safely removed from the Trial. Upon the first glimpse of sunrise, the wolves would call the end and whoever returned through the gates would be named as the winner. There had never been more than one, and quite often, there were none at all.

Trial Evers stood into the Clearing, as snow started to form and cold wind signal the start of winter. Everboys each carried a blue kite-shaped shield and a single weapon; while most of them chose bows and arrows as an attempt to stun the opponent, Soobin and Mingi chose heavy training swords. Nearby, Evergirls practiced animal calls and tried to look helpless so the boys would take them under their protection.

Across the field, Trial Nevers hunched against bare trees, eyeing unchosen students that crowd at the tunnels. While the unpicked Evers looked like they were ready for a slumber party complete with snacks and citrus tea, unpicked Nevers hovered near their tunnel in slippers and nightcaps, ready to flee at their team's first sign of humiliation.

Jimin and Taehyung lined up the competitors in order of their entrance as the wolves pass out enchanted handkerchiefs: white for Evers, red for Nevers. Since they came in last in the pre-Trial challenges, Beomgyu and Yunho would enter exactly at sundown; followed by a Never and Hyunjin that would enter twenty minutes later; then Hongjoong and Jisung, and the pairs would continue until Jungkook and Soobin entered last.

"I won't be needing this." Soobin muttered as he collects his handkerchief, before stuffing it in his boot.

At the front of the line, Beomgyu stood relaxed as he brush his almost black strands away from his eyes. He was feeling a bit better unlike the previous days, and because of that, he was more than ready to _prove_ _himself_.

"We've heard rumors of unqualified students that may try to sneak into the Trial," Jimin's voice rang from one of the bear heads, "This year, we've taken extra precautions."

Beomgyu thought he was referring to the wolves that guard every inch of the gate, but then Taehyung lit a torch and he saw that the gates were no longer made of gold, but of giant black and red spiders that crisscross magically, stingers poised.

His forehead creased, _do they know about Taehyun sitting in with me during my classes?_

_Maybe, otherwise they wouldn't do this._

Beomgyu rearranged the cloak on his shoulders so it wouldn't get dragged on the ground when someone speaks beside him and he turned, only to see the prince.

"If anyone cheats, they deserve to die. And I don't put it past any of those villains." Soobin said, rosy cheeks and eyes stern. He took Beomgyu's hand that was still holding on the kerchief, "You can't drop this Beomgyu."

"I wasn't planning to." Beomgyu answered, tying the fabric tightly on his wrist like it was some accessory.

"When we team up, they'll do anything to take one of us out. We need to _protect_ each other. I need you to have my back."

Beomgyu looked up at his prince, _milky face and red lines_ clouded his vision, and suddenly his heart clenched.

_So it's you?_

"You don't have anything to say?"

Beomgyu smiled, a glint of mischief in his dark brown orbs, "Good luck Binnie. See you inside."

Soobin smiled back, oblivious, "We don't need luck. We're Good, Beom. And Good _always_ wins."

In the prince's clear eyes, Beomgyu saw Jungkook reflected behind him, the cloak's hood lowered like the Grim Reaper.

When the prince left, Beomgyu smirked and lowered his own hood over his face.

The wolves shoved him and Yunho to opposite ends of the North Gate. Spiders hissed in his face and he remained unbothered, glancing at the School Master's tower lording over the Forest. In the last shreds of the sun, he could see his silhouette watching from the window and his heart hammered with _excitement_.

As the sky fall dark over the Forest, a blast of silver sparks came from the tower, veiling the Forest in a blurring haze.

"First pair ready!" Taehyung shouted.

Beomgyu willingly stepped forward.

The spiders lunged onto him and probed his skin with their pincers, and with a click of permission, they magically parted.

Beomgyu walked inside the Forest as the wolves howled and the wall of spiders sealed behind him.

The Trial had begun.

Beomgyu turned towards Yunho, suddenly thinking if he should eliminate the Ever quickly. But the Ever quickly scampered east towards the Blueberry Fields, peeping back at him once in a while to make sure he was not following.

He decided to just roam around the Forest, taking the west trail to the Blue Brook.

The Forest was pitch dark and cold, but the coldness didn't bother him one bit. The trees flouresced with an ice-blue, blacklit sheen, and despite the Forest's beautiful arctic glow, its atmosphere remained ominous. It was quieter than he imagined; no animals, no howls, only the melodious sound of the wind.

_CRACK!_

Something dropped from above and landed at his feet. He stared down at a scroll of parchment, wrapped with a strip of black fabric.

Beomgyu looked up and saw a white dove high above the trees. He tilted his head.

"Taehyun?"

The dove tried to fly down-

_CRACK!_

A barrier of flames exploded across the sky if it even got close to the trees. The faculty had taken no chances.

_What is he doing here?_

Beomgyu picked up the parchment.

_Tulip Garden. Put one bud under your tongue and say Floradora Fleuriana. -Taehyun_

"Are you worried for me?" Beomgyu grinned, looking up, "You don't need to be Hyun, I'm fine."

A scream echoed and white sparks suddenly sprayed into the sky. Yunho had given up.

Beomgyu giggled, thinking about how long did Yunho's attacker had found him. And he made his way towards the Garden.

He thought of Taehyun, his friend could really be a worrywart sometimes. But he lets him have his way, as long as it wouldn't involve his prince.

He thinks he could be Good that way.

Then, Beomgyu thought of Soobin. If he could win this Trial, then he could switch schools. He could rule Good, have his Ever After and forget about his nasty dreams. He could even make a choice to go home with his friend if the prince is _not really_ his prince. 

Suddenly, the milky face in his dream appeared on his mind. He stopped on his tracks, his inner conflict surfacing as his heart started pounding on his chest, pumping up hot blood into his veins.

Cold wind swept through and the leaves flickered over the trail, snapping Beomgyu out of his trance. He stomped over shrubs and stumps, flung away branches in his track, until he saw the Pumpkin Patch at the end of the Thicket. The Garden was getting near.

He saw Taehyun's dove patiently fluttering its wings above two trunks. But someone was standing between them. A little girl in a red cape and hood.

Beomgyu made his finger glow as he manipulated the wind to take off its hood.

The stranger looked up. It wasn't a child at all but an old woman, wrinkly and spotted cheeks with thick gray hair into two ponytails.

He eyed a fallen branch at a distance from where he was standing. And he carefully took a step forward.

But the woman dropped her red cloak and revealed a hawk's dirty, bloated body. An earsplitting caw was heard and he swiveled to see two more old bird-women moving towards him, gnarled talons as sharp as blades on display.

_Harpies_.

They pounced with terrible screams and Beomgyu lunged for the branch, swinging it towards the closest harpy. He smacked the harpy on its head with immense force that it stumbled away, splitting the branch in half and sending splinters flying. Then he quickly plunged the remaining half into the next harpy's chest, piercing through its flesh until its dark blood gushed out with a horrifying shriek. The third one rushed towards him at the same time, opening its jaw to his face-

The thicket went dark.

Shrieks of confusion can be heard, as well as something falling to the ground.

The thicket lit back up, and Beomgyu was nowhere to be seen. A dead harpy was bleeding on the dirt and the remaining two furiously scrambled to find him.

A pebble landed on one of the harpies' head and they looked up. Beomgyu was standing on a high branch above them, finger glowing red. He waved his hand and thicket went dark; he waved it again and thicket went light. Dark then light, dark then light. Until the harpies got the point and flew for him.

They were inches away from him when Beomgyu jumped onto another branch, gripping onto it tightly as he plunged his finger upward. The flying harpies gnashed into the air, fighting against the strong breeze as it forces them up.

Flames exploded across the barrier with a cruel crack and the harpies fell, feathers and flesh burnt.

Beomgyu landed on the ground with a soft thud. Brushing dirt off his cloak as he walked past the corpses into the Pumpkin Patch.

Taehyun's dove was still fluttering high above the trees. Relief spreading in his chest when his friend was okay. 

Beomgyu trudged across the silent patch, pumpkins fluoresced a thousand shades of blue. Then he saw two dark silhouettes on the trail in front him.

Squinting, he lit his finger again as he steps closer. But he saw that there were more than two, it was at least ten.

He stared at them as he moved even closer. Seven-feet tall, pumpkin faces and spindly bodies, crooked hands made of straw.

_Scarecrows_.

The scarecrows lined both sides of the trail, dozens of them on wooden crosses, guarding the pumpkins with outstretched arms. Glowing pumpkins lit their profiles, revealing ripped brown shirts, bald heads, and black witch hats. Beomgyu ignored the terrible faces and continued to move forward.

" _Help me ._ . ."

He froze. The voice came from the scarecrow next to him. A voice he knew all too well.

_It can't be._

" _Help me, Beomgyu . . ."_

There was no mistaking it. Beomgyu clenched his fist.

"My mother's dead." He said, voice cold.

" _No baby . . . I'm inside . . ."_ The voice rasped behind him, weak with agony.

Beomgyu's blood boiled. He pulled on his hair tightly, heart thundering, jaw tightening. Everything's haunting him, and he doesn't like it.

"She's _dead_."

" _I'm trapped_ . . ."

Beomgyu shook his head, not believing any word.

"I'll set you free then."

Without looking back, he raised his glowing finger up and instantly, the scarecrow caught fire, until it spread to other scarecrows and pumpkins. And soon enough, the patch was on fire.

He felt cool wind brush past him as he continues on the trail. And he looked back to a storm and the patch in wet ashes.

He looked up to see Taehyun's wing glowing orange. He could imagine the glare his friend was giving him but he didn't care. Taehyun waved his wing and the rain stopped. 

Howls were heard in the distance. Beomgyu turned toward the gates. The next pair had entered the Forest.

He looked at the long thin trail in front of him, leading through the Sleeping Willows that sloped downhill. The Tulip Gardens at the bottom.

Knowing well what the Sleeping Willows would do to him, he raised his finger up, forming a barrier of wind around him as he peacefully glide across the forest. The leaves fluttering away from him, unable to paralyze the Never. 

Beomgyu continued trailing towards the Tulip Gardens. But once he got there, he simply laid on the flower beds and stared at the dove in the sky, hysterically flapping its wings.

He chuckled lowly, putting his arms under his head. "Relax Tyun, nothing's going to happen to me."

Taehyun flew around in circles, frustrated at his friend's actions. _Is he going to let himself get killed?_ He waved his glowing finger and sparked an explosion of thunder, but Beomgyu didn't move, holding a bud in front of his eyes.

Taehyun summoned lightning and blasted it a feet away from Beomgyu, but the latter didn't even flinch.

"Continue that and they'll be able to find me."

Furious since the other wasn't even hiding, he squawked, "They'll find you if you don't hide!"

But the other didn't listen to his words. He continued scolding the other, raw squawks echoing in the silent Forest.

Taehyun choked.

Blue hoods.

He could see two in the Thicket, two inspecting the Pumpkin Patch, and two more near the gates. He couldn't tell who they were, but they were all frozen, carefully discerning the precise source of the echoed voices they'd just heard.

Then they started running towards the tulips.

Taehyun glanced at Beomgyu, relaxed on the flowerbed, then at the blue hoods coming to kill him. Worry flooded in his system. And with a frustrated groan, he flew higher, before darting back down, plunging himself into the barrier and carefully landing on Beomgyu's side.

Beomgyu sat up in surprise, tapping the fire out of the dove's burnt wing. 

"Are you crazy? What the heck are you thinking?" Beomgyu said, clutching the dove in his hands, unknown heat rising in his chest.

Taehyun hid under Beomgyu's cloak and made himself normal, "I-I'm sorry Gyu, I shouldn't have been loud. I saw them. They're c-coming here." He said between shaking lips.

Beomgyu stared at him, his vision being cloudy with white and red streaks, until it eventually cleared up and he properly saw Taehyun's panicked orbs.

"W-we have to turn into a tulip now-"

"I can handle this, don't worry." Beomgyu said, "We both know I have to win this."

"But-"

"Look Hyun, I can't fight them and look after you at the same time. Go ahead and mogrify again."

Swallowing his anxiety, Taehyun quickly did as he was told. Beomgyu was about to pick roach Taehyun up from the ground when he sensed a new presence near them.

Across the Tulip Garden, Hongjoong and a Never smiled at him, two tiny white fish thrashing in their hands.

"That's how you're going to kill me?" Beomgyu snorted, "Wish Fish? Really?"

"Yes." The Never said, glaring at him as the fish turned black in their hands.

"We wish to be Hench Captains." Hongjoong smirked.

The boys hurled the fish into the air and instantly, they ballooned big as Beomgyu's body and dove for him, snapping piranha teeth.

Beomgyu raised his glowing finger up and with a quick swish of his hand, a wave of water crashed with the fish and sent the Nevers stumbling to the Underbrush.

Faint wolf howls could be heard and he turned to get out of the place, but across the garden, Hyunjin and Mingi stood in the moonlight. Face stern, Hyunjin drew an arrow into his bow while Mingi pulled his sword.

And then from another side, Jisung showed up. The prince whistled and two silver wolf dogs appeared behind him, baring knife-sharp teeth.

And then blocking his path to leave, stood the One-Eyed Never, finger glowing. And another Everboy drew an arrow into his bow. He stood surrounded, his roach friend cannot be found.

"Now!" Mingi screamed.

Boys unleashed arrows, the One-Eyed Never stabbed her finger, the two dogs lunged for him.

Beomgyu mogrified himself into a brown wolf, dodging the arrows and curses hurled towards him and he ran towards the trees, Jisung's dogs trailing after him.

When he reached a clearing, he quickly turned himself back to normal, fully-clothed. Arrows tore through tree tops and branches and he thrust out his finger, a breeze flew in and deflected the arrows back. One of the wolf dogs pounced at him and he landed on his back, struggling against the animal before he mogrified into a rattlesnake. And with his rattle glowing red, he sent the animal flying to the trees.

Beomgyu turned back to normal again, and he was came face-to-faced with ten hooded assasins. He was outnumbered.

Curses, arrows, and swords were drawn towards him when he summoned a huge lightning between him and his enemies, igniting the cold winter grounds with fire. He summoned a blaze of hot wind and the fire grew, tall and hot until the trees were also caught. 

He was about to strike his enemies with the same _deadly_ lightning when a dove crashed into his hand, stopping him. He looked and found the same familiar huge eyes, and despite the growing thrill in his neck, he let himself be pulled by the bird, leaving the other competitors fighting themselves.

As he fled into the trees following the white dove, he sensed something coming his way and he immediately jumped to his side. He turned and saw San standing near a stream, hood over his head with his finger glowing green.

Without another word, San lashed at the stream and a whip of water ensnared Beomgyu at his wrist, above the tied kerchief. The latter was surprised yet planted his feet to the ground as the former pulls him, before another whip ensnared his other wrist, and then another on his arms. With a scream, San pulled Beomgyu hard and the latter tripped on his feet and landed on the ground with a thud. San immediately pulled him up and slammed him on a tree, gripping on Beomgyu's neck tightly as he lifted him off the ground.

"You would actually make a good witch, Beomgyu." San said, "If you hadn't messed up, you would've been better than me."

Beomgyu was coughing for air, but he managed to smirk at the taller, eyes with a glint of red, "I am better than you." before he lowly whistled and a swarm of wasps attacked the scarred villain. 

San dropped Beomgyu in shock as he batted away the swarm. And Beomgyu suck in a breath. But before he could whistle again, a bear snatched him in its arms and carried him away.

Thrashing, Beomgyu kicked and punched the bear until it dropped him. He put up his glowing finger, and the bear suddenly turned into Taehyun, hiding his bare body on the shrubs.

"It's me!"

Beomgyu felt anger rising in his veins.

"You've been preventing me since earlier Taehyun. What the heck?" Beomgyu snapped.

"I'm not! You were seriously going to hurt them, and that's not Good, Beom! I'm just trying to save you!"

They heard some leaves crumpling and before Beomgyu could make a move or speak, Taehyun circled his glowing finger around them.

" _Floradora pinscoria!"_

They both turned into blue shrubs.

San stormed into the trail with the One-Eyed Never. They peered into the deserted patch.

"I told you they went to the Ferns." The One-Eyed said.

"Then lead the way!" San said.

"Which of us get to kill him?"

San stunned her with a lightning bolt. He pulled the red kerchief from her pocket and threw it to the ground. Red sparks shot into the sky and the One-Eyed Never vanished into thin air.

"Me." San said.

Red eyes narrowed, he took one last look around. 

"Hyunjin, I think I saw him there!" Mingi called nearby.

San smiled wickedly and headed in his direction.

The night had just begun.

~

Outside the golden gates, the unchosen Evers and Nevers waited for Beomgyu's name to vanish off the scoreboards like Yunho's and One-Eyed's. But as hours passed and more names vanished: Hyunjin, Hongjoong, Jisung, that one Never, Mingi, San; Beomgyu's stubbornly remain. 

Had Beomgyu and Soobin united? What would their victory mean? A prince and a witch . . . _together_?

As the hours passed, Good and Evil shared looks across the Clearing; first threatened, then curious, then hopeful. And before they knew it, they were drifting into each other's sides, sharing blankets and snacks. Evil thought it had corrupted Good, and Good thought it had enlightened Evil, but it didn't matter.

For two sides soon turned into one, cheering on the Prince-Witch Revolution.

~

"This is ridiculous. Why do I have to be a wuss and wait here?" Beomgyu's shrub grumbled.

"Because you'll be safe." Taehyun answered.

"I don't need to be _safe_ , I need to _win_."

"Just shut up and you will."

And so they waited through silence, split open by screams; through sounds of classmates fighting enemies and betraying friends. They waited as something snared child after child with angry splashes in the Brook; as drooling trolls stomped past them, brandishing bloodstained hammers. They waited as red and white sparks painted the sky, until only three competitors remained.

Then the Blue Forest went quiet for a very long time.

Hunger tore at their stomachs, cold glazed their leaves, and sleep attacked their senses. Beomgyu would admit that he had drifted to nap at some points before Taehyun's shrub would nudge his. But then he noticed the sky turning blue.

He was about to ask his friend for the counterspell when Soobin limped into the trail.

The prince had no cloak, no sword, and only a brutally dented shield in his hands. His tunic was torn to shreds, bare skin gleaming with sweat and blood. He gazed into the lightening sky before he slumped against a tree, sniffling softly.

" _Corpadora volvera_." Taehyun whispered, "That's the counterspell."

Yet as Beomgyu openly stared at the prince, something prickled in his skin, something pooled into his stomach, and his mind drifted to his last dream.

_Milky face . . . Red lines . . ._

"Go to him now! He needs to know you're okay!" Taehyun said.

Beomgyu remained quiet, but Soobin bolted straight.

"Who's there?"

The prince's eyes moved into Taehyun's and Beomgyu's shrubs. Beomgyu's blood ran hot. But someone stepped from their shadows.

Soobin backed against the tree.

"Where's yer witch?" Jungkook hissed, unscathed in a clean cloak.

"Safe." Soobin said hoarsely.

"I see. So much for yer _team_." Jungkook smirked.

The prince tensed, "He knows I'm safe too. Otherwise, he'd be here to fight with me."

"Are ya sure about that?" Jungkook mocks, black eyes flaring.

"That's what makes us Good, Jungkook. We trust, we protect, we love. What do you have?"

Jungkook smiled, " _Bait_."

He thrust out his glowing violet fingertip and his tattoo peeled off his arm, swelling with blood. His eyes grayed and his skin lost all color, before he sank to the ground and howled in fury, as if tearing his own soul apart. Then the demon's body parts detached from each other . . . into five fractured pieces; two arms, two legs, and a head; each one alive.

Soobin backed up in shock and his skin turn white.

The five demon pieces blasted towards him, conjuring daggers. He managed to whip the stabbing head and leg with his shield, but an arm sank a dagger into his thigh. With a cry, he batted the arm away and pulled the dagger out, forcing himself to stand up as he leaned on a tree.

Taehyun's shrub turned to Beomgyu, "Help him! He needs you!"

But Beomgyu's ears were clogged. He was _amused_ with what he's seeing, and his morphed hand was twitching as if it wanted to _i_ _nflict hurt_ as well.

A demon leg hurled a knife at the prince's head and he pushed himself away from the tree, clutching on another as the four other limbs ripped toward him with daggers raised.

Picking up a branch, he swatted the limbs away as he moved in between the trees. He glanced down at Jungkook as he swung the branch at the closest demon, and he saw the Never weak on his knees as his glowing finger directs the demons. Then he saw something at the villain's boot.

Red silk.

The fragments then unleashed five knives point-blank, all aiming for his organs. But just as they pierced through his shirt, he jumped away from the tree and the knives plunged onto the trunk.

Soobin quickly limped towards Jungkook, and the latter saw him as he circles his finger again, bringing the demons back around with new knives. The villain raised his finger high and the demon limbs coiled back to kill him, this time there would be no mistake.

He roared and the knives stabbed down as the prince lunged for his boot.

Jungkook's mouth opened in horror as Soobin pinned his red handkerchief to the ground. The knives clinked limply to dirt and the demon parts vanished. Then Jungkook vanished too, eyes shocked wide.

Soobin collapsed on his back, heaving for breath. He saw the sky turning pink. The sun was coming.

"Beomgyu." he croaked.

He took a deep breath.

"BEOMGYU!"

Taehyun's leaves drooped in relief. Then he saw Beomgyu's shrub eerily still.

"Go to him already!"

Beomgyu stayed silent, eyeing the prince with fire in his heart. He knows that _they_ already won, yet he can't help but feel _unsatisfied_ that the prince was still breathing.

"Or at least call to him so he knows your alive-" Taehyun stopped.

On the ground, a demon arm hadn't fully vanished. It was flickering in mid-air, willing itself to stay.

Then it slunk over the grass and picked a knife off the ground.

"Beomgyu- Beomgyu, go!"

But Beomgyu was looking at the arm, heart hammering with anticipation.

The blade plunged. Soobin saw it hit his heart too late.

A shield suddenly smashed the arm down. With a screech, the demon limb shriveled and disappeared.

Dazed, Soobin stared at shallow wound in his chest muscle. He looked up at Taehyun, covering his body with the shield.

"I still haven't figured out the clothes bit." He mumbled.

Soobin stood up in shock, "But . . . you're not even in the competition! What are you . . ."

" _Corpadora volvera._ " 

Soobin turned to the remaining Never.

"Oh Binnie, can't you see that Taehyunnie here was worried?" Beomgyu appeared, unlike his friend, he was fully-clothed and unscathed.

Soobin shook his head, "But the library- that book! You _did_ cheat."

"I _never_ cheated Binnie. Taehyun was just here to help."

"But where were you? You said you'd fight with me! You said you'd have my back!" Soobin cried, eyes locked on Beomgyu.

Beomgyu grinned, "But you were fine, weren't you?" His eyes were glistening dark red.

"You lied!" the prince shouted, voice breaking, "Everything you said was a lie! You were using me!"

"No one would risk his life to save a capable prince."

Soobin glowered, "Then why did _he_?"

Beomgyu followed the prince's eyes to Taehyun, raw with burns.

Beomgyu's eyes widen as if discovering a knife stabbed into his back, and he smirked. Taehyun saw it and he spoke to defend himself.

"No Beom! I just wanted to protect you!"

"Shut it!" Beomgyu hissed as he walked towards the prince, eyes piercing red that sent shivers down the latter's spine, "This is what you'll get for doubting me, love."

The prince stumbled back when the Never pushed him, and pulled out his boot to retrieve the white kerchief.

The moment he grabbed the silk cloth, wolves howled at the gates. Sounds of cheers and footsteps thundered through the Forest.

"They did it!"

"They won!"

"Beomgyu and Soobin won!"

Bodies burst into the trail. Panicked, Taehyun lit up his finger and his dove flew away just as students flooded into view.

"Ever and Never!"

"Witch and prince!"

"All hail Beomgyu and Soo-"

The Forest went quiet.

From a tree, Taehyun looked down at the unchosen Evers and Nevers surging in, then the fallen competitors, healed and cleaned by magic. And they all stood frozen as they took in the scene.

Beomgyu glaring at Soobin on the ground, Soobin glaring back as Beomgyu held the white kerchief.

Evers and Nevers shifted apart, enemies eternal.

Neither side could hear the laughter from the tower, half shadowed, lording over them all.

Except for the villain's heart that hammered with the same melody.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiiii!! so this chapter is kinda confusing, dont u think? u can comment ur thoughts and questions and i'll try my best to answer all of it! 
> 
> thank you for reading!


	11. Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Don't you dare."

Beomgyu had been staying on the balcony for days, staring at the fog in front of him. No thoughts, motionless as a corpse. He didn't know what day it was, if it was morning or night, if he was asleep or awake.

_Why does it have to be me having those dreams? Why does it have to be him I see?_

_I want to stop . . . Please just make it stop . . ._

_I want to go home . . ._

His eyes dulled. His cheeks stained with dried tears. He tried so hard to keep himself awake, but due to fatigue, his eyes drooped close and he was immediately pulled to sleep.

Unfortunately for his fears, another dream came.

He was back at his house in Ttukseom. Beomgyu found himself in his room. He stood up, walking out his door to be greeted by the smell of cinnamon. Captivated by the scent, he walked to their kitchen, passing by his father lounging in the living room, who gave him a soft smile. Only it wasn't his father, but a blurred milky face. He was about to approach him when he heard a voice call him from behind, and he turned. It was his mother. Tears welled from his eyes and Beomgyu ran to her. But he wasn't getting near. He ran faster and faster and his mother got farther and farther. Before he suddenly smashed into her, but her face was too blurry to see as she held a knife to him.

"Kill me now." Said a voice.

Beomgyu jolted awake.

Taehyun sat at the railing beside him, clothed with Beomgyu's black clothes that the latter still kept with him.

"I mean, no one has seen you these days and I'm worried."

Beomgyu didn't look at him.

"Come on. You have to catch up to Hoseok's class." Taehyun stood, "Day three of knowing animal crap."

Strained silence ticked by.

Taehyun sighed. "What should I have done, Beomgyu? I couldn't let him die."

"Why did you have interfere with the Trial?" Beomgyu murmured.

"I was worried about you. I couldn't leave my _only_ friend in danger."

"I was fine! You didn't have to intervene! I could handle them pretty well!"

" _You_ were going to _hurt_ them! I only stopped you before you do something you regret! _Good doesn't hurt_ Beom."

"So you're saying _I'm_ Evil?" Beomgyu said, exasperated.

"I didn't say tha-"

"Why are you even here? Why are you in my school? Why are you in my fairy tale when you didn't even want any of this in the first place!"

"Because I tried to save you! I tried to save you from the curse!"

"Then why do you keep _cursing_ me and my prince? Why are you always in the way?"

"I don't have anything to do with that!" Taehyun scowled.

Beomgyu scoffed, "I think I know. Deep down, you don't want me to find love."

"What? Of cour-"

"You want me for _yourself_."

Taehyun stiffened, "That's-" He swallowed, "That's stupid."

"Maybe the School Master was right. A prince can't be friends with a witch." Beomgyu stood up, standing face-to-face with Taehyun.

"But we _are_ friends." Taehyun stammered, "You're the only friend I ever had."

Beomgyu ignored what the other said, "You know why?" His eyes were cold and red as he stared at Taehyun, "Because a witch never has his own fairy tale. A witch has to _ruin_ one to be happy."

Taehyun fought back tears, "But I'm not- I'm not a witch-"

"THEN GET YOUR OWN LIFE!" Beomgyu screamed.

He watched the dove flee through the fog, before he slumped back to the wall, burning the leftover clothes to ashes.

~

That night, Beomgyu had another dream. He was running through woods, hungrier than he had ever been, until he found a deer with a human face; the same milky, blurred face he had always seen. He looked closer to see who it was, but then the deer's face was now a mirror and in it, he could see his reflection. Black locks, dark red eyes, scarred cheek; and his reflection grinned, before its hand darted towards him.

Beomgyu woke up in icy sweat, blood furiously burning through his veins _again_.

He stood up, eventually deciding to find a more comfortable place to sleep.

He roamed around the halls carelessly, not caring if a patrolling wolf would find him. Until he came across a black wall that seems unfamiliar for him, for the wall was decorated with a bunch of fabric-like pieces dangling from the ceiling.

Curious, he ignited a nearby torch with his glowing finger, and staggered back.

Every inch of the black wall was covered in posters, banners, and graffiti:

**CONGRATULATIONS, CAPTAIN! TRIAL TRIUMPHANT! READER TO THE RESCUE!**

Beomgyu furrowed his eyebrows as he eyes the wall. Squinting, he could see depraved cartoons of Evers suffering miserable deaths. And beneath the wall, carnivorous green bouquets littered the floor, carrying handwritten messages between the blooms' sharp teeth:

_You're the ultimate thief of hearts! -Green-Skinned Girl_

_Wish I had your moves! -Never_

_Soobin deserved it! -One-Eyed Girl_

"Oh, you're here."

He turned to where the voice came from and found Hongjoong in his pajamas. Beomgyu ignored him and looked at the messages again with a frown.

"Soobin said that you used him to win the Trial." Hongjoong said, "Lady Wheein named it the 'Beomgyu Trap'. Lame, I know. But don't tell her I said that." He chuckles, awkward, "And she said you even fooled her. All the teachers are saying that you're the best Captain Evil has ever had! Look into those boxes."

Beomgyu saw the row of eel-green boxes amid the bouquets, wrapped with red ribbons. He opened the first and found a parchment card:

_Hope you remember how to use it. -Professor Yoongi_

Beneath it was a black snakeskin cape.

In the boxes that follow, Taehyung gifted him a bony parrot, Lady Wheein left an ice-carved flower, and Namjoon enclosed his Trial cloak, asking if he might kindly donate it to the Exhibition of Evil.

"It's a genius plan actually. I haven't even thought of that." Hongjoong said, trying on the cape, "Lead the others to you, then trap them in a ring of fire, then hide as a plant until Soobin and Jungkook are left. Then take out Jungkook while Soobin is wounded." Hongjoong looked at him, "But why didn't you drop the handkerchief? Why didn't you finish Soobin off? Everyone wants to know, but Soobin doesn't say anything. We only thought it's because the Trial already ended."

Beomgyu didn't answer the pointy-eared Never, instead he was staring at something on the wall in front of him.

A black rose, note speared through thorns, dripping with ink. 

Beomgyu took it into his hands.

_Cheater. Liar. Snake._

_You're right where you belong._

_All hail the witch._

"Beomgyu? Who's it from?"

Heart throbbing, Beomgyu smelled the bitter black thorns laced with a scent he knew so well.

"So this is my reward for Love."

He crushed the rose in his palm and set it aflame, spitting Soobin's words with blood.

~

"This will make you feel better."

In Room 66, San scooped murky yellow broth from his cauldron into a bowl. His voodoo dolls crawling by themselves onto his arms to take a peek.

"Ya talent's getting better." Jungkook croaked.

San sat on the edge of Jungkook's bed with the bowl. "A few sips and you'll be fine."

Jungkook managed only one, then fell back.

"I shouldn't have tried it." He wheezed, "I didn't know he was _that_ good. He's twice the witch that I am."

"But he loves an Ever." Said Bangchan, curled on his bed.

"He _thinks_ he does. Just like we all once did."

Bangchan's eyes bulged.

"Ya really think he's the only Never who felt love at some point?"

"Jungkook, stop it." San scolded.

"No, let's have the truth." Jungkook said, struggling to sit up. "All of us have felt shameful stirrings, weaknesses."

"But those feelings are wrong. No matter how strong they are." San said.

"This one's special." Jungkook said dryly, "He almost convinced us that those feelings were right."

The room went silent.

"So what happens to him now?" Bangchan asked.

Jungkook shrugged, "The same thing that happened to all of us."

This time, their silence was broken by distant footsteps in a slow, menacing rhythm. The three boys glanced at the door as the steps got nearer, louder, sharper. Until it went past their room and there was silence.

Bangchan sighed in relief.

The door slammed open and the boys screamed. Bangchan fell to the floor.

A breeze blew the hanging clothes as the torches flicker, casting only flints of light on the shadow's face.

Messy black hair, light red eyeshadow and dark eyeliner, with plump red lips. White skin glowed against black clothes, black cape, and black leather.

Beomgyu stepped into the room, black leather boots stabbing the floor.

"Welcome home to me." Dark red eyes scanned around the room, and he smirked.

"But where will we find a new bed?" Bangchan stammered from the floor.

Three pairs of eyes found his.

Before he even knew it, Bangchan was left pounding on the iron door in the dark empty hall.

~

The Evers didn't celebrate when Soobin received his Captain's badge. How could they, when Beomgyu had made a fool of him?

"Evil had returned!" The Nevers bragged, "Evil had a King!"

Then the Evers remembered they had something that the Nevers hadn't. Something that makes them superior.

They have a Ball.

And the King wasn't invited.

As the first snow littered the Clearing in brittles of ice, Nevers glared at Evers as they held their cold pails with frozen fingers, while the latter were too busy planning for the Ball to care about the weather.

With Beomgyu out of the picture, Hueningkai knew Soobin was his date. Not that he confirmed this though, since the prince had been ignoring everyone since the Trial, and had been gloomy for days. Hueningkai felt the prince's mood affect his own as he watch the other shoot arrows into the tree he and Beomgyu used to sit beneath.

Soobin ripped more holes in the tree's heart, but there was no satisfaction. After a few days of teasing, his mates had tried to cheer him up. Telling him that nobody cares if he had shared his rewards with a Never; if the other had stuck with him along the way. He had still won a brutal Trial and outlasted everyone.

But Soobin only saw shame in it. He had won, yes, but the Never had his kerchief when the sun rose, and he was unable to stop him. He won, but it felt like blind luck, for if the competition was even a second longer, he would've lost. He couldn't help but think that he was no better than his father now, a slave to his heart's mistakes.

Still, he hadn't told anyone about Taehyun. He knew that the other was surprised by this because the brunette winced every time he spoke, as if expecting him to expose what happened. Yet, if a week ago, he would love to see Taehyun get punished, now he felt confused.

Had he been telling the truth about the gargoyle? Could that witch actually be Good?

He thought of what Hueningkai had once told him; that Taehyun had been sneaking around the halls as a _cockroach_.

So Taehyun was there all along? But the Never was actually good at magic, the Evers who had confronted him during the Trial told him so. He was good at being Evil . . .

Yet how come he had chosen Beomgyu during the pumpkin challenge?

Soobin felt sick.

A goblin picked from two . . . A prince whose coffin kneed him out . . . A roach hidden on a pumpkin . . . 

He had never picked Beomgyu.

He picked Taehyun every time.

_Beomgyu excels at Evil, Taehyun excels at Good._

He had nothing prove after all.

Soobin whipped around in horror, looking for the brunette, but he didn't see Taehyun anywhere in the Clearing. He had to stay away from that boy. He had to tell him to stay away. He had to stop this.

A drop of frozen rain smacked his cheek. Blinded by water, he saw shadows moving towards him. Soobin wiped his eyes, and the moment he saw who it was, he dropped his bow.

Beomgyu, Jungkook, and San walked in step towards him. They hissed at Evergirls who bolted away, leaving Soobin and the spooked Everboys behind him. Jungkook and San dropped behind Beomgyu, who stepped forward to face his prince.

"You think I faked this? You think I used you?" Beomgyu said, dark red eyes staring right into his, "You think I never loved you when I did all of this for you."

Soobin tried to control his thumping heart. Somehow, the Never was more beautiful than ever.

"You doubted me Binnie. And I thought you love me."

"You can't cheat your way to love, Beomgyu." the prince answered, "My heart never wanted you."

Beomgyu smirked, "Oh, I've seen who your heart picks. A brunette who loves black and despises you."

Soobin reddened, "I can explain that-"

"With what? That your heart is blind?"

"No. It just says anyone but you."

Beomgyu stepped closer towards him and Soobin drew his sword, as did his mates behind him.

"Look at what's happening, Soobin. You're scared of your true love."

"Go back to your side!" The prince yelled.

"Are you driving me away?"

"Why shouldn't I?"

Beomgyu smiled, "Because you made me a promise."

Soobin glared as he gritted his teeth, "I made you no promises."

Beomgyu blinked at him, as if he was trying to comprehend what the prince had implied, and he chuckled. The laughter ringing in the prince's ears like a harmonious song.

"I see." Beomgyu was smiling, but his eyes screamed danger, Soobin gulped. "Then I'll be whatever you want me to be."

He thrust out his glowing finger and the boys' swords turned to snakes. The Everboys fled, and Soobin kicked dust at the hissing reptiles. He watched as Beomgyu looked at him with teary eyes, before he turned on his heel and hurriedly left.

"Are you okay?" San asked, catching up.

"I gave him a chance." Beomgyu said, walking faster.

"It's over. It's even now." Jungkook said, attempting to soothe the other.

"No. Not yet." _Not until he keeps his promise_.

He quickened his pace into the tunnel. As he fled through twisted branches, he sensed someone watching. Through unshed tears and trees, he couldn't see the face on the balcony, just a milky white blur. His heart pounded and he found a break in the leaves.

But the face was gone, as if it was just a dream.

~

The next morning, Good woke up to slippery grease all over the floors. The morning after, Evers screamed at bugs in the breakfast hall. The next day, the teachers found a framed underpants replacing Beauty's portrait.

The fairies were unable to catch the vandals in the act, making Soobin and his mates form a nighttime guard duty, patrolling the halls from dusk until dawn. But still, the culprits were able to get away with it. By the end of the week, the Groom Room pools have been filled with stingrays, the halls' mirrors were warped, pigeons raided the dining hall, and toilets would explode once someone sat on them. 

Enraged, Professor Moon insisted that Beomgyu should be brought to justice, but Lady Wheein was highly doubtful that one student could cripple an entire school without help.

She was right.

"It doesn't feel good anymore." San said after supper when they were back in their room, "We want to stop."

"Ya got yer revenge. Let him _go_."

"Such softies." Beomgyu scoffed, turning to the next page of _Nightmares Be Gone_ , "And I thought you two were villains."

"Villains have purpose. This is just thuggery." Jungkook snapped.

"I have mine. Do you?" 

"What do ya want anyway?" Jungkook said, annoyed. "What are we doing this for?"

"I'm not forcing you two to tag along. I can do this stuff myself." Beomgyu said, closing the book. "I wouldn't even turn you in." He grinned mischievously.

Soobin soon had all 50 boys on his nighttime guard, but Beomgyu escalated the attacks. He and San brew a potion to turn the Good lake to Evil sludge. He and Jungkook laced the Ever linens with lice. He unleashed locusts during Yongsun's lecture, sent a charging bull into Chivalry, cursed the Evers' stairs to scream bloodily with every step. This caused half the Good teachers to cancel their classes, and for the Good students to travel in groups in fear. 

Professor Moon slammed into Lady Wheein's office, "That witch must be failed!"

"Look Byulyi, there is no way for a Never to enter your school, let alone attack it night and day." Lady Wheein yawned, "For all we know, it might be a rogue Ever."

"An _Ever_?" Professor Moon gasped, offended, "My students have won every competition in this school for two hundred years!"

"Until now." Lady Wheein smiled, "And I have no plans to give up _my_ best student without proof."

While Professor Moon sent unanswered messages to the School Master, Lady Wheein have been taking notice of Beomgyu's actions the whole time: the growing distance with his roommates, the fact that Beomgyu had no longer been shivering in her iced classroom for weeks, and his brutal desecration of Soobin's name on his parchments.

"Are you feeling all right, Beomgyu?" Lady Wheein asked, barring the ice door after class.

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Beomgyu replied, nonchalant as he remained seated on his desk.

"Between your winning as Class Captain and your nighttime activities, I think it's a lot to take in."

"Activities?" He looked up at her, his dark red orbs meeting her violet ones.

"Have you been having strange dreams, Beomgyu?"

Beomgyu turned away.

"You know what it is, don't you?" Lady Wheein smiled, "Of course you would know Nemesis Dreams. You're the best student there is."

The terrible dreams have been continuing for nights, all ending with a milky, blurry face, as streaks of red appeared on its edges, as if it was being outlined with blood. But he couldn't recognize it. All he knows is that every time he woke up, he felt angrier than before. After every dream he had since the past weeks, his blood would always boil, as if his veins were burning and he would struggle to control his raging thoughts.

"So you _are_ special." Lady Wheein cooed, "You will make us all proud."

"I've been having them for weeks." Beomgyu admitted. "But I _don't_ want to have them. Is there a way for these to stop?"

"I'm afraid there's none. But it's nothing to be concerned about, dear. Not until there's symptoms."

"Symptoms . . . " Beomgyu murmured.

"Yes. Once you had a symptom, then you'll finally see the face of your Nemesis. The one who grows stronger as you grow weaker. The one you must destroy in order to live."

Beomgyu paled as a chill ran over his spine, as if he was awoken from an illusion he put himself into.

"That's impossible."

"Is it? I think it's quite clear who your Nemesis is."

Beomgyu lost his breath as his heart sank.

_That milky face, red lines . . . that itching feeling to harm_.

He remembers seeing it on a face during the Trial.

_Is it really . . . Soobin?_

Beomgyu shook his head, refusing to believe.

"No! I love him! That's why I'm doing this! To get him back!"

Lady Wheein just smiled.

"No . . . " Beomgyu's eyes welled with tears, glancing at his trembling hands as if he couldn't believe what he has been doing for the past days. "I was just angry! I'm not a villain- I don't want to hurt anyone!"

He briefly remembered himself in the Trial; where he would strike the other competitors with lightning, where he would attack San with his talent like he did the first time with Jungkook's demon.

_No . . . That's not me_ . . . 

"You see, it doesn't matter what we are, Beomgyu." Lady Wheein leaned close to his ear, "It's what we _do_."

Her pupils flicked over Beomgyu's panicked face, "But no symptoms yet, I'm afraid. Do me a favor and close the door on your way out." She said as she walks to her desk.

~

That night, Beomgyu didn't attack the Evers.

_Let him go_ , he told himself as he lay on the bed, _Let Soobin go_.

He repeated it over and over, like a broken record in his mind, until the words erased his little meeting with the professor. As the words soothed him to sleep, he felt the stirrings of his old self again, promising to himself that he'd forgive, that he'd love. Promising to himself that tomorrow he'd be Good again.

But still, another dream came.

He ran through mirrors reflecting his flawless smiling face, bright blond hair, and pastel pink and white suit. He looked into one mirror and found Soobin waiting for him, kingly in his dark blue suit as the prince stands in front of Camelot's castle. Beomgyu ran to him, and the prince opened his arms to welcome him in an embrace. But the prince melted to a milky, red blur and threw him into thorns.

Beomgyu woke up enraged. The promise of letting go fell into the dark pits of forgotten memories.

He was about to leave the room when San sat up on his bed, awaken by the sound of the door opening.

"Hey, it's the middle of the night. Where are you going?"

"Out." He answered, not turning.

San squints at him, realizing what the other would do, "I thought you said it was over."

Beomgyu peered at him from his shoulder, dark red eyes glowering at him, "Did I?"

And the door slam shut.

The next day, the Evers arrived at lunch to find all the trees on their side cut down. All except the one where Beomgyu and Soobin used to sit beneath, a single word carved again and again on the trunk:

_LIAR_.

The stunned wolves and nymphs howled for the teachers and immediately formed a boundary between the two halves of the Clearing.

Soobin stormed up to the border, between two wolves.

"Stop it. _Now_."

Everyone followed his eyes to Beomgyu, who was sitting peacefully under a snowy tree on the Nevers' side.

"Or what? You'll catch me?"

"Now you really sound like a villain."

"Careful Binnie." Beomgyu said, standing up, "We wouldn't like to know what everyone will say once we dance at the Ball."

"Don't you dare." The prince warned.

"Dare what?" Beomgyu walked towards him, "Dare to say that you _promised_ to take me to the Ball? Right in this very spot?"

Gasps rose from both sides of the Clearing. Soobin felt like he had been kicked in the gut.

"And here I thought you were a prince." Beomgyu faced him between two wolves, "Because a prince _never_ breaks his promises. After all, a prince that does . . . is a _villain_."

Soobin couldn't speak, cheeks tinted red.

"But you're not a villain, and neither am I. All you have to do is keep your promise and we can be ourselves again. Soobin and Beomgyu. Princes." Beomgyu smiled at the other, as he held out his hand across the wolves for the prince to take, "Good for Ever After."

The Clearing was dead silent.

"I'll never take you to the Ball." Soobin gritted, " _Never_."

Beomgyu withdrew his hand slowly.

"Oh. Well, now everyone knows who's responsible for the attacks."

Soobin could feel Evers' blameful stares burning through him and he felt ashamed.

As the prince trudged his way out of the Clearing, Beomgyu watched him. Heart in his throat, fighting the urge to call him back.

"This is about a _Ball_?" A voice said.

Beomgyu turned to a glowering Jungkook and San, yet he didn't say anything.

"You're on your own." Jungkook snarled, and left. San following him.

"I never needed you in the first place." Beomgyu murmured as he stood in the middle of the Clearing. He could see stunned students, teachers, wolves and fairies around him. And slowly he looked up.

Soobin glared down at him from inside the glass castle. In the weak sun, his milky face had a glint of red.

Beomgyu met his eyes, his heart stone cold.

He'd love him back. He'd have to.

Because Beomgyu would destroy him if he dared love anyone else.


	12. Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's about time."

Buried under his pillows, all Taehyun could hear was the echo of four terrible words.

_GET YOUR OWN LIFE!_

What life? Before he met Beomgyu, all he had was darkness and pain, all he remembers are the disgusted looks and fear, all he felt was the cold air of the graveyard he lived in.

Beomgyu had made him feel normal. Beomgyu had made him feel needed. Without Beomgyu, he was a freak, he was nothing but a . . .

Taehyun's stomach dropped as tears prickled his eyes.

_A witch never has his own fairy tale._

But without Beomgyu, he was a witch.

For the last couple of days, Taehyun locked himself up in his room, listening to the screams of Evers terrorized by the attacks. 

Every joint-school activities was cancelled. He can't help but think that this was his fault. Didn't witches leave fairy tales in ruins? As he listens to the panicked screams outside his door, his guilt consumed his system.

Then the attacks stopped.

Taehyun knew that the storm had passed, that Beomgyu would come and apologize soon. He hugged his pillow tight, hoping it was his friend instead, as he gazes up the rose-tinted moon. Silently, he hoped that their friendship would survive this.

He heard fairies jitter outside the door and he saw a note slid under it. With bated breath, he slipped out of his covers and picked the parchment up.

𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖗 𝕾𝖙𝖚𝖉𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖘,

𝖂𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕯𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖒 𝕭𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖎𝖓 𝖘𝖎𝖝 𝖉𝖆𝖞𝖘, 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖐'𝖘 𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖓𝖌𝖊𝖘 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖙𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖎𝖋 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖉. 𝕯𝖊𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖙𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖗𝖊𝖈𝖊𝖓𝖙 𝖊𝖛𝖊𝖓𝖙𝖘, 𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖇𝖊 𝖓𝖔 𝖋𝖚𝖗𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗 𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘. 𝕺𝖚𝖗 𝖙𝖗𝖆𝖉𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖜𝖍𝖆𝖙 𝖘𝖊𝖕𝖆𝖗𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖘 𝕲𝖔𝖔𝖉 𝖋𝖗𝖔𝖒 𝕰𝖛𝖎𝖑. 𝕬𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝕭𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖒𝖆𝖞 𝖇𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖇𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖋𝖎𝖓𝖉 𝖆 𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖕𝖞 𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌, 𝖊𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖈𝖎𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖞 𝖎𝖓 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖉𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖘.

𝕻𝖗𝖔𝖋𝖊𝖘𝖘𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖔𝖓.

Taehyun sighed and buried himself under blue sheets.

But as he gave in to sleep, he began to hear words . . . _Ball_ . . . _purpose_ . . . _happy_ . . . _dreams_ . . .

The words tumbled in his mind, echoing deeper . . . until they planted in his soul like magic seeds.

~

"Drink this."

San's voice rang inside Room 66.

He held out a bowl of broth for Beomgyu to take.

"Get that thing away from m-" Beomgyu hoarsely said, glaring at the tall Never before vomiting into a pail by his bedside.

"Stop being stubborn and just drink the thing. Ya have high fever." Jungkook's said.

Beomgyu wiped his mouth with one of the torn fabrics on the bed, "To heck with this Dreams-"

"Shut up and drink!" 

"Fine!" Beomgyu begrudgingly took the bowl and drank its contents in one take, before tossing it aside and covering himself up with a blanket.

It was quiet after that. San and Jungkook just stared at the other's back as they waited for him to sleep. And when they had concluded that Beomgyu was out-cold already, they sighed in chorus.

"This is bad Kook. Dreams of faces, high fever, obsession . . . Lady Wheein's right!" San whispered, picking up the bowl and setting it aside properly, "Soobin is his _Nemesis_."

"He was telling the truth all along. He did meet the School Master." Jungkook whispered back, eyes never leaving the sleeping figure, "He's in a real fairy tale!"

"This whole school better watch out then. A real fairy tale means _war_." San said, worry evident in his scarred face, as he turns to look at Jungkook.

"He said he's been having those dreams for weeks. It's strange that he doesn't have any symptom yet."

"But it makes sense . . . " San exhaled, "I noticed it. I think he was able to prolong having symptoms by not sleeping, since we kicked him out and he dozes off at class. We thought he was just stupid and incapable for doing so, when he actually overpowers us and holds back. Remember that Murder Practice in Curses?"

"So he's been failing on purpose . . . Because he wants to be Good . . . "

"And what happened between him and Soobin might've provoked him to be like this now . . ."

They stared at each other in silence for a while, contemplating on what they should do. Jungkook looks at Beomgyu again, an idea coming in mind.

"I hate to say this, but we have to get Soobin and Beomgyu back together _now_. Once a symptom appear, it would be too late. Our lives would be in danger."

San looked at him, eyebrows furrowed, "But how do we do that?"

"Yer talent." Jungkook whispered, "But we can't tell anyone. This gets out and we're in trouble."

~

The next morning, Taehyun woke up with a strong urge to go to his classes.

Stomping around his room, he put on his ruffled coat and scratched his greasy hair. How many days should he wait? Beomgyu didn't want to apologize? Beomgyu didn't want to be friends? Fine!

_I can have my own life._

He picked up the crinkled parchment from the floor and read it again.

_"This Ball may be your best chance . . ."_

_That's it!_

All he needed was one of those arrogant boys or picky girls to be his date. And then Beomgyu would eat his words.

He left his room and stomped down the stairs to his first class.

Taehyun had five days to find a date to the Evers Dream Ball. Five days to prove that he wasn't a witch.

Ball Week got off to an extravagant start when Professor Seokjin came in class ten minutes late. It would've been bearable for Taehyun if the said professor came in _normally_ but no, the doors opened wide and Seokjin walked in like he was on a runway, wearing a light gray hanbok, a red string tied to his waist, dark brown pants underneath the garment, a pair of white socks and black flipflops on his feet; completed by a thick white scarf on his neck, a bachelor's hat on his head, and a pair of dark sunglasses. The professor then proceeded to make different poses.

Taehyun had never felt such strong secondhand embarrassment.

"Now that's how you make a grand entrance for the Ball." He said proudly, "Good thing no one could ask me to the Ball, or else many of you would lose your dates."

"What if Soobin did promised to take Beomgyu to the Ball?" Jisung whispered to Hueningkai, "Princes can't break promises without something terrible happening!"

"Some promises are meant to be broken." Hueningkai retorted with a roll of his eyes, "If anyone tries to ruin _my_ night with Soobin, I swear that they won't survive the night."

"Since everyone had chosen to wait until the Circus to propose, I'm suggesting all of you to take this week's challenge seriously." Professor Seokjin continues, "Your performance could very well change one's mind! But of course, not everyone will be asked to the Dream Ball, and not everyone will accept a proposal. Having no dates at the Ball is not a problem since you would be given half-ranks nonetheless. But if no one really takes you, even under serious circumstances . . . then you must be a witch."

Taehyun felt everyone's eyes on him and he sank further on his seat.

"For today's challenge, you must try to see _who_ your date for the Ball will be. Only when you see a face clearly in your head will you know that they want you too. Now take turns proposing on the person beside you. When it is your turn to accept, close your eyes and see whose face appears." Seokjin instructs.

Taehyun turned to the Ever beside him, who looked like he was about to vomit.

"Dear um, Taehyun . . . willyoubemydatefortheBall?" He heaved, then retched so loud that Taehyun frowned.

He looked at himself, who was he kidding? Bony limbs under pasty skin, unkept hair and crumpled uniform. Who would _choose_ to ask him _or_ accept him as their date for the Ball? As he felt hope seep out of him, he glanced at the other Evers, eyes closed in euphoria as they dreamed of their dates' faces-

"It's a yes-or-no question." The Ever in front of him groaned.

Sighing, Taehyun closed his eyes and tried to imagine his date's face. But all he could hear were loud echoes of boys and girls fighting to not be his date.

_"There's no one left for you."_

_"But everybody had to go-"_

_"Well, the last one killed themselves rather than take you."_

Phantom laughter rang in his ears and he gritted his teeth, clenching his fists atop his desk.

_I'm not a witch._

The voices softened.

_I'm not a witch_ . . .

The voices diminished in darkness, but there was nothing left in place. There was nothing to see.

_I'm not a witch!_

Nothing.

Something . . . 

A milky, faceless silhouette born out of darkness.

They bent before him on one knee, took his hand . . .

"Are you feeling alright?" 

He opened his eyes and found Professor Seokjin staring at him, as well as the rest of the class, eyes wide in disbelief.

"Uh, I think so?"

"But you smiled! A _real_ smile!"

Taehyun gulped, "I did?"

"Have you been bewitched? Is this a Never's prank?"

"No! I mean, it was an accident-"

"But dear, it was beautiful!"

Taehyun felt happiness bubbling from his chest. He wasn't a witch! He wasn't a freak! He felt his smile return, bigger and brighter than before.

"If only the rest was too." Professor Seokjin sighed, and Taehyun's smile instantly collapsed to its comfortable frown.

Dispirited, he didn't bother to do well on his next classes, with Jimin calling his attitude "rotten" and Yongsun muttering that she'd seen sloths with more charm.

As he sulked in the pews before History, Taehyun wondered if Professor Namjoon could see his future. Could he see if he found a date for the Ball? Or was Beomgyu right about him being a witch?

Thinking about it, he still couldn't ask Namjoon anything because he would then have to admit that he snuck into the professor's study and found out that he's a seer.

In the end, it didn't matter because Namjoon never showed up; choosing to teach in the other school for the reason that History shouldn't compete with Ball preparations.

Taehyun tuned out the Twelve Dancing Princesses in front of the class, who, in behalf of Namjoon, was supposed to teach them about Ball Customs and Traditions before they started bickering and pushing each other like gorillas.

Ignoring the Evers' chatter about how those unruly old women could be princesses, he closed his eyes and focused. No matter what the Grooming professor had said, he still had seen a face. Blurry, foggy, but real. Someone who _wanted_ to ask him to the Ball.

He clenched his jaw.

_I'm not a witch._

Slowly, the silhouette appeared out of darkness, this time closer and clearer than before. They took one knee before him, lifted their face into light . . .

But a screech jolted him awake, as the twelve sisters were basically strangling each other onstage.

_Why is this so difficult?_

By lunch, Taehyun had forgotten all about finding a date and wanted to go back to Beomgyu. But the said boy was nowhere to be found alongside Jungkook and San (and even Bangchan for that matter.)

He chooses to ignore Evers snickering towards him for whatever reasons they have (or them just predicting Taehyun's failure because no one would ask him to the Ball). And even worse, Soobin kept giving him strange looks in between horseshoe throws.

Taehyun lost his appetite and stomped out of the Clearing.

In Good Deeds, Professor Moon had given them a written test on how they would handle moral predicaments at a Ball. For example:

1\. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱᴏᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟꜱᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʟʟ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ɪɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀꜱᴋꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ?

ᴀ. ᴋɪɴᴅʟʏ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪꜰ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʏᴏᴜ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ꜱʜᴏᴜʟᴅ'ᴠᴇ ᴀꜱᴋᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ.

ʙ. ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴏ ᴀ ꜰᴀꜱᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ ꜱᴏɴɢ.

ᴄ. ᴅɪᴛᴄʜ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ.

ᴅ. ᴀꜱᴋ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ꜰᴇᴇʟ ᴄᴏᴍꜰᴏʀᴛᴀʙʟᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ.

Taehyun answered D. And underneath it, he wrote:

_"This question doesn't apply if no one asks you to the Ball, let alone to dance."_

2\. ᴜᴘᴏɴ ᴀʀʀɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʟʟ, ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴏᴛɪᴄᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ'ꜱ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ ꜱᴛʀᴏɴɢʟʏ ꜱᴍᴇʟʟꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɢᴀʀʟɪᴄ. ʜᴏᴡᴇᴠᴇʀ, ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ɪꜱ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴏɴ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴏᴘᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ?

ᴀ. ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴏɴᴄᴇ.

ʙ. ꜱᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ꜱɪɴᴄᴇ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜰᴀᴜʟᴛ.

ᴄ. ꜱᴀʏ ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴇᴍʙᴀʀʀᴀꜱꜱᴇᴅ.

ᴅ. ᴏꜰꜰᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ꜱᴏᴍᴇ ᴍɪɴᴛ ᴄᴀɴᴅʏ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴍᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ.

Taehyun answered A, and added:

_"At least they're not ugly forever. Bad breath is only temporary."_

3\. ᴀ ʙᴀʙʏ ʙɪʀᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇɴ ᴡɪɴɢ ᴍᴀɴᴀɢᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ꜱʟɪᴘ ɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄʀᴀꜱʜᴇꜱ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ꜰʟᴏᴏʀ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴡᴀʟᴛᴢ. ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ?

ᴀ. ꜱᴄʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴛᴏᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ.

ʙ. ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪʀᴅ.

ᴄ. ᴋɪᴄᴋ ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪʀᴅ ᴏꜰꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʟᴏᴏʀ ꜱᴏ ɪᴛ'ꜱ ꜱᴀꜰᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀᴛᴛᴇɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ɪᴛ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ.

ᴅ. ᴀʙᴀɴᴅᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀɴᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇꜱᴄᴜᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙɪʀᴅ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴꜱ ᴇᴍʙᴀʀʀᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘᴀʀᴛɴᴇʀ.

Taehyun answered D, and commented:

_"My partner wouldn't mind since they are imaginary."_

He answered the next 27 questions in the same spirit.

As Professor Moon was scoring the tests on her pumpkin desk, her expression grew grimmer and grimmer with each paper she checked.

She massaged her temples before standing up and flinging the tests back to the students, "Just what I was afraid of. How could my Evers be so vain? These answers are shallow and even villanous! No wonder that Beomgyu boy made fools of all of you."

"Attacks are over, aren't they?" Soobin muttered.

"And it's no thanks to you!" Professor Moon scolded, thrusting a red-drenched test at him, "A Never wins a Trial, vandals at our school and no Ever to catch him? No one Good enough to put down another student?" She continued distributing papers on the next row, "The Circus is in four days. And whoever wins would have the Swan Theater moved to their school. Do you want that? Do you want to walk with shame to Evil for the rest of the year?"

No one could meet her eyes.

"To be Good, you must _prove_ yourself Good, my dear Evers. Defend, forgive, help, give, love. Those are our rules! But it is still your choice to follow them."

When Taehyun received his test, he immediately shoved it away. But then he noticed the corner:

_100%_

_𝓢𝓔𝓔 𝓜𝓔_  
  


Once the fairies chimed to signal the end of class, Professor Moon patiently waited for her students to get out of the room. When the last Ever went out the pumpkin door, she went to lock it, before turning to the one student remaining.

Taehyun sat on his desk, watching the professor with lips in a thin line, "If I follow the rules, does that mean I'm not a witch?"

Professor Moon eyed the student, as if wanting to determine if he was serious or not, "Yes. Only a truly Good soul lives by those rules."

"But what if my face is Evil?" Taehyun asked, face void of any emotion.

"What are you saying-"

"What if my _face_ is _Evil_?" Taehyun presses, frowning at the professor's obvious attempt to dismiss the subject.

His teacher flinched at his tone, before silence came over them.

Taehyun grew frustrated, "I just don't know what to do with any of this! I am far away from my home, everyone here hates my guts, and I'm losing my only friend." Tears welled in his eyes but he doesn't let them fall, "All I want is to find some way to have a happy ending, but you couldn't even tell me anything!"

He pauses, taking deep breaths to somehow ease his aching heart as he harshly wipes the tears threatening to fall.

"It's not about what Good I do or what's inside me." Taehyun said, voice softer, "It's about how I _look_. From the start, I never had a chance to prove myself because _this_ . . ." He points at his face, "is who I'll ever be."

For a long moment, Professor Moon just stared at the classroom's door. Before she silently made her way towards the brunette, sitting on the desk besides his. 

"What did you think of Hueningkai when you met him for the first time?"

Taehyun creased his forehead at the sudden question, suddenly remembering the time when the prince approached him on the first day in school.

"He was beautiful."

"And now?"

Taehyun remembers the times where Hueningkai would subtly look at him, judgment obvious on his features. He remembers the time on the Clearing when the prince openly insulted him, and all the times after when the other would snarkily make remarks about his friend.

"He's obnoxious."

"Is he less pretty then?"

"No."

"Is he beautiful or not?"

"At first sight-"

"So it only lasts a glance?"

"Not if you're Good-"

"So it's being Good that matters? I thought it was looks?"

Taehyun fell silent.

Professor Moon sighed, "You know, you and Hueningkai have more in common than you think."

"Great. I can be his animal slave." Taehyun retorted with a roll of his eyes.

"Beauty can't hide the truth for long, Taehyun." Professor Moon stood up, making her way back to the front, "May I ask, what do you see when you look in the mirror?"

"I don't."

"And why is that?"

"Animals don't sit around staring at their reflections."

"Maybe you should stop classifying yourself as one, and just look in the mirror." The teacher asked, leaning near the pumpkin door.

Taehyun felt anger rise up in his chest. He didn't like talking about the things he hates, he didn't like to be reminded of his insecurities.

So he stood up, proceeding towards the door where his teacher stood to attempt to leave, "I'm not having this conversation."

"What is it you're afraid to see?" Professor Moon pressed.

"I'm not afraid of mirrors."

"Then look into this one."

Taehyun glanced up and saw that the door was now a smooth, polished mirror. He immediately looked away.

"Cute trick. Now let me out." He moved his hands, trying to find the doorknob while avoiding his reflection.

"One look in the mirror and you may leave."

Taehyun tried to make his finger glow but he couldn't.

"No! Just let me out!"

"Look in the mirror."

"Let me out or else!"

"Just one look-"

Taehyun slammed his shoes against the glass and it shattered to bits. He closed his eyes tightly and shielded himself from the shards, and when it went silent, he slowly lifted his head.

A new mirror glared back.

Taehyun immediately covered his eyes with the palm of his hands.

"Make it go away!" Taehyun pleaded.

"Just try, Taehyun."

"I can't!"

"Why?"

"Because I'm ugly!"

"What if you were beautiful?"

" _Look_ at me!" Taehyun groaned.

"Suppose you were one of those princes in storybooks."

"I don't read that garbage."

"You wouldn't be here if you didn't, dear."

Taehyun stiffened, and he didn't say anything else for a long time. His thoughts wandering off from his own flaws, to his hidden desires.

"If I was beautiful? If I was handsome like everyone else?" He asked quietly.

"Yes, dear."

Taehyun looked up, eyes glistening, "Then I'd be happy."

"Funny. That's what Ella of Maidenvale said to me as well." Professor Moon said, as she walks to her desk. "I'm sure you know her. I believe her step-mother is from Woods Beyond. I gave Ella a visit once when she wished to go to a Ball but couldn't. Turns out all she needed was a new face and a nice pair of shoes."

Taehyun furrowed his eyebrows before his eyes widen at the realization, remembering his own mother's words before he left.

_"If the School Master hasn't picked Tremaine, Ella wouldn't even survive in that household."_

Tremaine of Woods Beyond, Cinderella's step-mother.

"Ella? _Cinderella_?"

"It's not my best work, I admit." Professor Moon caresses a pumpkin paperweight on her desk, "They sell these at Maidenvale, yet it doesn't match Ella's coach at all."

Taehyun staggered back, "That means you're-"

"The most wished-for fairy godmother in the Endless Woods. At your service, dear."

The professor smiled at him, and he leaned against the door for support as the unexpected revelation made him feel lightheaded.

"I warned you Taehyun. When you saved that gargoyle, I told you that you are a powerful talent. That you are Good enough to conquer any Evil. And even if you lost your way, your Goodness would still lead you to your happy ending. It's all _inside_ you Taehyun, and we need you to let it out. But if it's your looks that's holding you back . . . " She sighed as she pulls out a thin, cherry-wood wand from her silver gown, "Then consider it taken care of, dear. Now close your eyes and make a wish."

Taehyun blinked and pinched himself to make sure he was awake. Fairy tales always punished boys like him. Fairy tales never gave wishes to ugly boys.

" _Any_ wish?" He asked, voice breaking.

"Any wish." His fairy godmother answered.

"Do I have to say it out loud?"

"I'm not a mind reader, dear."

Taehyun swallowed the lump in his throat, tears forming in his eyes. "I've never said it to anyone . . ."

"Then it's about time."

Trembling, Taehyun looks at the wand in his teacher's hand and closed his eyes, letting a single tear fall from each orb. He couldn't believe this was happening.

"I wish . . ."

He felt like he couldn't breathe.

"I wish to be uh . . . you know . . ."

"Magic responds to conviction." Professor Moon reminded.

All Taehyun could think of was Beomgyu. Beomgyu who looked at him with those soft brown eyes back at Ttukseom. Beomgyu who brightly smiled at him every lunch. Beomgyu who looked at him like he was a traitor during the Trial. Beomgyu who glowered at him with his dark red eyes at the balcony.

_GET YOUR OWN LIFE!_

His heart suddenly pounded hard, heat spreading from his chest with anger. Clenched teeth and hands balled into fists, he raised his head. And with a shout-

" _I wish to be beautiful!"_

A swish of a wand and a sickening crack was heard, and Taehyun opened his eyes in alarm.

Professor Moon frowned at the broken wand in her hand, "Perhaps it was a bit ambitious. We'll have to do it the old-fashioned way."

She let out a deafening whistle and six seven-foot rainbow nymphs came in from the window in a neat line. Taehyun backed against the mirror, before the nymphs descended on him like bears.

~

Taehyun's eyes fluttered open in a dimmed room, his body feeling strange and stiff as if he had been asleep for days. He looked at himself and found that he's only wearing his shirt, and his coat was neatly folded on the chair's arm. Seeing the dark blue chair underneath his uniform, he looked around to confirm his suspicion.

He was in the Groom Room. And the nymphs were gone.

Taehyun glanced around, he was never a fan of proper hygiene (although his friend would always nag at him because of this). The aromatic bath pools flooded the marble floors, statues of mermen lining the columns, urinals flushing royal blue water, and ivory stalls each with a toilet and tub. The place smelled of clean skin and sweat, and hints of musky perfume that his friend loved to use-

_Enough thinking about him Taehyun._

He fixed his eyes on the make-up station in front of him, and found that it was lined with bottles of creams, dyes, and masks. In the sink were used razors, picks, and scissors; and on the floor were a small pile of shorn hair. 

Taehyun curiously picked some up. It was blond.

He whipped around to find a mirror, but there were no other chair-and-mirror stations in the room. He frantically touched his hair, his skin; and everything felt softer, smoother. He touched his lips, and his nose; everything felt daintier.

_"All she needed was a new face."_

He jumped up from his chair. _They did it!_ They did the impossible. He was normal! He was pretty! He was lovable!

Taehyun breathed out a sigh of relief. A smile naturally creeping out of his lips.

_I need to find a mirror. I need to see myself_.

Woody was napping in his nest on top of the door when it swung open.

"Good night, Woody!"

Woody peeked open one eye, "Good night, Taeh- Oh my!"

Taehyun's smile grew wider as he ascended the steps to the first floor. He had to go to the gilded mirror near the Supper Hall (and he had memorized all mirror locations in order to avoid them). As he makes his way, he felt giddily light, there was a spring on his steps and a warm feeling emanating from his chest.

He heard a gasp and he saw Jisung looking at him through the gap in the spiral staircase.

"Hello Jisung!" Taehyun beamed.

The boy was too stunned to wave back.

He walked at the Good Hall where portraits of past Ever students were hung. Hyunjin and Mingi were high up on the pillars as they take a look at the pictures.

"I'm telling you dude, this Changbin is a solid 10." Hyunjin said.

"Too bad he ended up a hound dog." Mingi said.

"Wait until they put Taehyun on the wall. He'll end up a-"

"A what?"

Hyunjin turned to Taehyun. His jaw slacked and eyes widened.

"A cat?" Taehyun grinned, "Got your tongue."

"Oooh," Mingi teased and Hyunjin kicked him off the pillar.

Taehyun was smiling so wide that his cheeks started to hurt. He glided through the halls and stood in front of the double doors leading to the Supper Hall. He was ready to face the mirror, to feel what Beomgyu had felt all his life. But before he could push it himself, the doors opened to his face.

"Excuse me."

He heard the voice before he saw who it belong to. His heart doubled its beat as he slowly looked up to meet the prince's eyes.

Soobin stared at him, a confused look written on his face. The prince coughed, as if trying to find his voice. "Um. Hi."

"Hi." Taehyun said, smiling stupidly.

Silence.

"What's for dinner?"

_What kind of dumb question is that Hyun?_

"Lamb." He squeaked before coughing again, "Sorry. It's just you look . . ."

Taehyun suddenly felt a strange wave of fear.

"I know." He swallowed, "Not me." He blurted, before darting off around the corner.

His feet led him to a corridor and he leaned against the wall, a portrait hanging behind him. He heaved for air as he glanced back from where he came from, before he slumped on the floor from the erratic beating of his heart and rested his head back.

He suddenly wondered what the nymphs had done to him; if they exchanged his soul for a new face, or replaced his heart for a new body. He examined himself; why is his palm drenched, why is his stomach fluttering? Where was the insult for Soobin that always rests on his lips?

Taehyun groaned, and then he realized where he was.

The portrait behind him wasn't exactly a portrait.

A wave of anxiety flooded his system as he stood to face the hall's giant mirror, readying himself to see a stranger.

He closed his eyes in shock, rubbed it with his knuckles before opening his eyes again and adjusting his cloudy vision.

_But the Groom Room- the bottles- the blond hair-_

He dropped to the floor in shock.

_The wish- the wand-_

"She . . . tricked me?"

The nymphs hadn't done anything to Taehyun, as it was all part of the fairy godmother's clever plan.

He glimpsed at himself as tears start to well in his eyes.

_I'm still ugly. I'm still a witch_.

Wait.

What about Woody? What about Jisung, Hyunjin . . . _Soobin_?

Are they mirrors too? Mirrors that told him he wasn't ugly anymore?

Slowly, Taehyun rose. He blinked the unshed tears away as he inches back to his reflection. For the first time in his life, he didn't look away.

_"Beauty can't hide the truth for long, Taehyun."_

Gently, he raised his hands to touch his face in the mirror, wondering if it really was him he's seeing. He was glowing, as if he had let some light rush in his once chained heart, as if a new flower had bloomed in the middle of winter grounds, as if the bright truth had been uncovered after years of being buried in denial.

Because after all these years of believing that he was an unlovable, dark-hearted witch, he now had truth to guide him. He had something greater than any magic.

_I've been beautiful all along._

He was beautiful inside and out.

He smiled again, dimples showing in his cheeks as happy tears stain them. His heart hammered in his chest in a fluttering melody, and it rang in his ears like a familiar song; making him deaf to the screams of someone far away, woken from his worst dream yet.

~

Students of both schools had thought that magic meant spells, but Taehyun found something more powerful in a genuine smile and light heart.

As he makes his way for one of his morning classes, he would pass by slack-jawed stares and surprised whispers. It would seem like he performed some sort of sorcery that even teachers hadn't seen before, some kind of spell that would make them look twice. And Taehyun realized that he too had been bewitched, as for the first time, he found himself looking forward to another day in school.

He wouldn't gag at the scent of his uniform anymore, and even started to use a cherry-scented perfume. He started properly washing his face and his hair, and taking time to brush his teeth. He would stretch his limbs and do quick work-outs in his room. He would wear his uniform neatly for his classes, and would enjoy every lesson discussed. Up to the point that he was so caught up in Ball dance practices that he jumped when the bells chimed to end class.

If a week ago he would mock his Good homework, this time he'd read assigned pages and would continue reading more. Like he was enchanted with Good's heartwarming stories. He would spend hours reading how both heroes and heroines would sacrifice themselves, their freedom, and their lives for true love.

And as he glance outside his window, into the Blue Forest lit up with starry lanterns for the Ball, he finds himself daydreaming at how beautiful Good could truly be. The magical moments of love and happiness, alongside people you trust and care about.

As Taehyun lays down in his bed that night, he thought of his room in Ttukseom, of how his old house smelled. He thought of the color of Hobak's eyes, and the sound of his mother's voice.

But he can't seem to remember them.

It was two days before the Ball. The Circus of Cyphers would take place the next night, and Jimin had visited classrooms to give announcements.

"The Circus is a talent competition between Good and Evil in which the top 10 Evers and Nevers would take the stage to present their talents." Jimin informs, "At the end of the contest, the winner will receive the Circus Crown and the Swan Theater would magically move to their school. And as you know, the Theater hasn't moved in ages."

"Who will be the judge?" Hueningkai asked.

"The School Master, although you wouldn't see him." Jimin answers before proceeding, "For your attire, you should dress up in one of your fancy clothes in order to look presentable. As it will also be the day of your proposals."

Jimin left after that and Professor Seokjin immediately instructed his students to think about their date's face, and he started circling the room.

Taehyun watched his classmates accept proposals with eyes closed and nose scrunched in concentration. He tried to do the same, but all he could see is the milky silhouette that would vanish once he reached for it.

He started worrying about the Circus. With his ranking, he would definitely take part in the Evers' team, but he had no idea what his talent is. And no one would propose to someone who would lose.

He spent the whole class with his eyes closed, before he eventually got tired and decided to do it another time.

On his way to his next class, he reached the stair room, where a bunch of students were buzzing around and he moved to see what was going on.

He stood next to Yunho as they stared at the once angel painting on the wall defaced with violent streaks of red that spelled out:

T̶̮̭̘̒ Ö̸̧̟̝͉̩̝̥̜̺́͌̃̀͛̈́ N̷̯̠̊̓̽̂ I̵̢̺̟̘͙̪̗̣͒͛͗̇ G H̴̡̰̓͆͋ T̴̪̻̓̽͛̃͝

"What does it mean?" Taehyun asked.

"It means Beomgyu is going to attack again." a voice answered.

Taehyun turned to Soobin in a sleeveless blue shirt, a bit sweaty and glowing after spending time exercising. But when their eyes met, the prince suddenly looked self-conscious.

"Uh sorry . . . I was going to bathe."

Taehyun gulped and immediately glued his eyes to the wall, fidgeting with the hem of his coat before putting his hands in the pocket of his pants, "I thought it was over."

"I'll catch him this time." Soobin said, glaring at the wall as he stood beside the brunette. "He has to be stopped, he's dangerous."

"He's just hurt, Soobin. He thinks you made him a promise."

"It's not a promise if it's made under false conditions, Taehyun. He tricked me to win the Trial, and he used you."

"He didn't use me." Taehyun defended. However, a part of him thinks that Beomgyu did, before he removed that thought with a little head shake, "You don't know a thing about him. He still loves you, and he's still my friend."

Soobin snorted, "You must be a better soul than me, because I don't know what you see in him. I have no idea why you could think of him as anything else because all I see is a manipulative witch."

"Then maybe you should look closer."

Soobin turned to him, "Or look at someone else."

Taehyun felt sick again.

"I'm late." He said, scrambling towards the stairs.

"History's this way." Soobin said, gesturing to another hallway.

"Uh . . . There's another route here so . . . " Before the prince could say that there's none, Taehyun ran upstairs, ignoring the calls of the other.

Taehyun stopped near a statue of a knight as he heaved for air, hands resting on his knee and his heart.

_What is happening to me!_

He groaned, brushing his hair repeatedly as an attempt to calm himself. Why couldn't he breathe around the prince? Why does he feel nauseous every time the other looked at him? Why was Soobin looking at him as if he was . . . special?

Taehyun lightly bumped his head on the wall, as if the action would make him forget the said prince. But he remembered something else.

He had to stop Beomgyu from attacking. For if the other withdrew from his doings and asked Soobin for forgiveness, there was still hope that the prince would take his friend back. In that way, he wouldn't have to deal with the strange looks and sick stomachs. He wouldn't have to fear losing control of his own heart.

Taehyun sprinted to the Menagerie as teachers and students swarmed the defaced wall, and once there, he noticed that the hedges were restored after the fire. He went back to the small pond he found while hiding, completely ignoring the sculpture of young Arthur that reminded him of the King's son, before he plunged himself in the cold water.

"Let me pass!" He yelled while storming to his reflection on the Bridge, "I have to stop Beomgyu- Wait where's me?"

His eyes widened at the reflection that greeted him.

A handsome prince was grinning at him with deep violet orbs and cherry-red hair, dressed in a light pink long-sleeved shirt accompanied by a white tie, and white pants.

Taehyun swallowed the lump in his throat, he recognizes that grin _all too well_.

"Beomgyu?"

_"Good for Good,_

_Evil for Evil,_

_Back to your tower before there's upheaval."_

"Well, guess what. I'm definitely Evil now so let me pass." Taehyun ordered.

"And why are you Evil?" the prince asked, "Because you insist on that haircut?"

"Because I'm having thoughts about _y_ _our_ prince!"

"Well it's about time you do."

"What?" Taehyun scoffed, "Are you serious Beom? That's Evil! He's your true love!"

"I warned you last time." The prince smiled.

"What do you mean-"

He suddenly remembered the last time he was here.

_"Still, maybe Beomgyu is not Soobin's true love."_

_"You."_

Taehyun's heart doubled its beat and his eyes bulged.

"But that means you're-" He staggered back.

" _Definitely Good_. Now if you mind, we have a Ball to prepare for."

And with that, Prince Taehyun vanished from his reflection, leaving the barrier intact.

~

Taehyun has been idling in his place beside Yunho at the Supper Hall. The other was once again rambling about Mingi and he made the better choice to tune him out, in favor of thinking of another route to get to the other school.

During the attacks, the teachers had casted anti-Mogrif enchantments all around the castle since they assumed Beomgyu was breaking in as an insect, or an animal, or a plant for that matter. But Beomgyu still found a way into Good, and Taehyun has to know how.

After dinner, he decided to go to the one place where his questions might be answered.

As he looks around the Gallery, he immediately noticed the new addition of Soobin's bloodied Trial tunic encased in glass, and with a label of _Trial of the Century_ , alongside a brief narration of Soobin and Beomgyu's _alliance_. He frowned as he sees faded fingerprints on the case, and he could imagine the others ogling at the fabric like stalkers. 

He went to the familiar corner nook where the paintings were perched, and directly went to the one with him and Beomgyu, sitting side by side before the sunset. His eyes misted at the sight of the two of them together, and his hand unconsciously made its way to touch the figure of his friend.

Once upon a time, they were the best of friends; having each other's backs and sharing sweet smiles over ice cream. Little do the young boys know that high in the School Master's tower, the Storian would write their story. A story that would drift them apart, a story that would ruin their friendship.

Taehyun suddenly wondered how far would they have to go to see that sunlit shore again together.

He looked at the painting next to it, the last one in the row where the image of children burning storybooks were etched. Flames and smoke clouds devouring the Woods around the village.

A sudden thought came in his mind, and dread started to fill his system.

_Is this Ttukseom's future?_

His head throbbed as he tries to make sense of everything. Why were the children burning storybooks? Why is it Ttukseom? Why not other villages?

_"What other villages?"_

His eyes widen as he remembered the School Master's words. A lot of unanswered questions flooded his mind. The world was full of villages, somewhere beyond the Woods, but why weren't their children taken? Why aren't they in the Gallery?

He dropped the thought as he was going nowhere, and instead focused on the painting once again. Until he realized that the smoke clouds weren't clouds at all, but _shadows_. Hulking and black shadows creeping from the burning Woods and into the village.

Shadows that didn't look human. 

Suddenly, his own shadow on the wall was growing, gnarling. And Taehyun whirled in horror-

"Professor Namjoon." He exhaled.

"I'm afraid that I'm not much of a painter, Taehyun. Reactions to my latest piece have been rather poor." The professor said, clutching a suitcase.

"What are those shadows?"

"I better get going, child. The Nevers are acting up and I'm afraid they would make another mess at the Exhibition of Evil." He said, heading for the door.

"Wait! What about the last painting?" Taehyun pressed, "Is that how our fairy tale ends?"

Professor Namjoon sighed before turning back, "Seers cannot simply answer questions, Taehyun. If I would, I'd age ten years on the spot as punishment. It kind of explains why seers look terribly old. I look young because I have only made one mistake." He smiled before starting to leave again.

"But I need to know if Soobin is Beomgyu's true love!"

"Have you not learned anything from my gallery, child?" The professor turned to him again.

Taehyun eyed the animal remnants around him, "You like your students well stuffed?"

Namjoon didn't smile, "Not all heroes achieve glory, but those that does share something in common."

Apparently, the professor wants him to guess what this was.

"They kill villains?"

"No questions."

"They kill villains."

"Think deeper, Taehyun. What are the similarities of our greatest heroes?"

He followed the professor's glassy gaze, and he saw banners draped from the ceiling. Banners of Snow White in her glass coffin, of Cinderella slipping into the glass shoe, of Jack slaying the giant . . . 

"They find happiness." Taehyun stated dumbly.

"Ah . . . I guess I have stuffing to get back to." The professor's tone had a hint of sarcasm that made Taehyun embarrassed of his own answer earlier.

"Wait!"

Taehyun focused on the banners and let the gears in his mind work. _Deeper_. Something beneath the surface, underneath the beautiful faces . . . something that the heroes have in common.

They all shared beauty and kindness; they all have achieved happy endings. But where had they started? Snow White lived in the shadow of her step-mother, Cinderella was a maid to a step-family, Jack's mother told him he was stupid . . .

It wasn't the happy endings.

It was their beginnings.

"They trusted their enemies . . ." Taehyun murmured.

"Yes, their fairy tales started when they least expected it. After graduating from our school, they journeyed into the Woods, expecting epic battles and magical wars, only to find their tales unfold right _in their own houses._ They didn't realize that villains are the ones closest to us. They didn't realize that for a hero to find their happy ending, they must look right under their nose." Namjoon explained.

"So Beomgyu has to look under his nose. Got it." Taehyun nodded.

"I wasn't talking about Beomgyu." His professor stated.

Taehyun stared at him, speechless.

"Can you tell the teachers to not worry?" Namjoon said from the door, "I've already found a replacement."

The door closed behind him.

"Wait!" Taehyun ran, throwing the door open. "Where are you going-"

But the corridor was empty. He sprinted to the stair room but the professor wasn't there either. Namjoon had just simply disappeared.

Taehyun glanced at the four stair cases leading to the four towers of Good. Namjoon's words repeating in his head.

"There's something missing . . . " Taehyun mumbles to himself, right hand moving to his lips as he thinks.

As his gears were coming to a halt from the lack of information to process, _something_ clicks.

_Under your nose._

And that's when he saw the trail of chocolate crumbs up the Honor stairs.


	13. Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "He's my friend!"

Taehyun followed the trail of chocolate up the flight of stairs, through the dormitory floor, until it stopped in front of the boys' lavatory. He inhaled a breath before pushing the door and going in.

Everything was the same with their bathrooms in Purity, which also looked like a smaller version of the Groom Room with the marble floors and ivory shower cubicles. It was quiet considering it was afternoon already, and the quietness of the place caused him to hear a sniffle from the last bathroom stall, situated in the far corner.

"Hello?" He called as he approached said stall, yet there was no response.

He proceeded to knock on its door.

"Excuse me." A deep voice replied. Taehyun noticed that it was utterly fake, and familiar.

"Bangchan?" There was silence. "Hey, it's Taehyun. Can you open the door so we could talk?" He said softly.

A long stretch of silence came in between them, before the other boy opened the door, revealing his chocolate-coated state. There were a few specks of chocolate on his tear-stained cheeks and his clothes, and the stall has streaks of chocolates on its walls; as if the Never was trying to take a hold of his talent but only made a mess.

"What happened to you?" Taehyun carefully asks as he looks at the obvious disheveled state of the other.

Bangchan looked away as if he was ashamed to be found like this. Sniffling, he answered, "Beomgyu happened." He wiped his face on the sleeve of his robe, trying hard to control his sobs, "I honestly thought he was my friend, despite the banter and all that. But now he took my room, my bed, and my friends, and I have nowhere left to go. And I can't tell anything to the other Nevers because they'd just torment me more."

"Surely there must be somewhere else to go aside for this place-"

"I tried in the Supper Hall but a fairy bit me before I escaped."

Taehyun grimaced, he knows exactly which fairy it was from the first day of school.

"But if anyone finds you here, they'll fail you."

"I think failing is a better choice anyway." Bangchan slumped on the toilet seat more, shoulders dropping in hopelessness, "How would Beomgyu feel if someone took everything from him instead? How would he feel if _you_ took his prince? No one could ever be that Evil."

Taehyun gulped, a feeling of guilt creeping in, "I just need to talk to him. I'll help him get Soobin back, okay? I'll fix everything. But please return to your school soon."

Bangchan didn't move or say anything. But after a few moments, he nodded and managed to give him a small smile despite all his sniffles, and Taehyun easily returned one.

"You know, despite what others say, I don't really think you would fit in our school at all. You're too kind." Bangchan muttered.

The brunette chuckled, before something struck him. "Wait. Now that you mention it . . . how did you even get here?" His forehead creased in confusion, "There's no way to cross between the two schools anymore."

Bangchan raised an eyebrow, "Of course there is. How did you think Beomgyu attacked all those nights?"

Taehyun's eyes widen and he grabbed the other by his shoulders, "Tell me where."

~

Taehyun carefully crept in the sewer tunnels that stretched from Good to Evil, with the Doom Room at the halfway point, where clear water from Good's lake meets with the dirty sludge from Evil's moat. Now that the Beast, who had been guarding the said halfway point for a long time, was nowhere to be found, Beomgyu had managed to trespass and return without the slightest bit of suspicion.

As he makes his way towards the middle, he couldn't help but feel his chest constrict with anxiety. Beomgyu had told him of his punishment at the Doom Room, but Taehyun feels like there was something more than the scars on the other's back and cheek.

Then he remembered the time when Beomgyu crashed in his room that night; he remembered hugging his friend; he remembered feeling the other's neck empty of a certain accessory, and all the times after where it was nowhere to be seen.

Taehyun stopped in his tracks.

_Beomgyu never takes his necklace off_.

_"Although, it's funny that this little thing keeps me sane."_

Taehyun's eyes misted at the memory; and he was hit with realization.

The Beast took something that was too precious for Beomgyu, something that was irreplaceable, something that he could no longer find anywhere else.

The loving memories of his late mother.

Loving memories held by the silver necklace.

Sure, Taehyun understands how it felt living with only one parent. But he had never felt lonely with his. His mother may have viewed herself as a witch, and portrayed herself to other villagers as such, but she was always caring and gentle for him.

Whereas Beomgyu was different. When his mother died, his father was too caught up in paranoia that he wouldn't let Beomgyu out of the house. His father became too protective, making him suffocated and with no other choice but to sneak out and drag Taehyun to play, all in order to relieve himself of the loneliness he felt under the man's care.

_"Ever or Never, I'm still your friend Taehyun. That will never change. I won't let it change."_

Beomgyu only had his necklace, his friend, and his _dreams_ of a happy _E_ _ver after_ after all the pain.

But when he lost the accessory, it seemed like he also lost a part of his sanity.

And Taehyun decided it was his duty to bring it back.

"Ya have to wait until they're about to kill him."

Taehyun was brought back to reality by the voice down the tunnel. He hadn't realize that he was standing there for far too long and that he had to move to get his friend back. 

"Soobin has to think that you saved him." San's voice echoed.

Sweating in his shirt, Taehyun continued walking towards the voices, until he saw three shadows crouched in front of the dungeon's rusted grating.

"The Evers would think it's San's attack, and Soobin will think that you saved him, that you risked your life for him." Jungkook said, voice loud over the roaring river beneath them.

"Then he'll love me again?" The third shadow asked.

Taehyun's eyes widened in surprise, and before he could think of what to do, he stepped out of the shadows and confronted the Nevers.

"What's going on?"

Jungkook and San quickly jumped to their feet, eyes wide as if they were caught. Slowly, the third shadow turned.

In the dim light, Beomgyu looked paler. His skin lost most of its color and he was obviously a lot thinner. Also, his posture is not as confident as it used to.

"Taehyunnie."

Taehyun's mouth went dry, "What are you planning to do?"

"We're helping a prince keep his promise." Jungkook answered.

"By staging an attack?"

"No, of course not. Soobin just had to know how much I'm willing to do _anything_ for him." Beomgyu said.

And then suddenly, loud scraping and inhuman grunts could be heard from the Doom Room.

Taehyun jerked in shock, "What was that?"

"San's Circus Talent." Beomgyu shrugged.

Taehyun stepped to see what was in the cell, but Jungkook quickly held him back. Over the other's shoulder, he could glimpse three tall bundles of fabric bearing sharp daggers, as they bend and twist around creepily.

"Dolls. Very unruly if you'd ask me." Beomgyu sighed.

"But what if they attack other people!" Taehyun panicked.

"I'll stop them before they do any harm, of course. Just giving them a little scare." Beomgyu weakly smiled at the other, eyes drooping once in a while, "I have no other choice after everything that has happened."

Taehyun couldn't speak. This wasn't Beomgyu. He refused to believe that this is his friend.

"I missed you Hyunnie." Beomgyu said softly, Taehyun's heart pounded.

Another violent grunts was heard from the dungeons, causing Taehyun to ran for a door but San caught him and shoved him to the wall.

"Gyu you can't do this!" Taehyun pleaded, fighting off San's grip. "You have to ask him to forgive you! That's the only way to fix this!"

Beomgyu tilted his head in confusion, and his eyes narrowed. "Come here, Taehyun."

Taehyun wretched free from San and moved closer to Beomgyu, standing within the light that comes from the Doom Room.

"Beomie, please listen to me." Taehyun spoke gently.

Beomgyu raised his hand to touch Taehyun's cheek, stroking it. The latter leaned into his touch by instinct, feeling the other's palm burning hot against his skin.

"You look . . . _different_."

"The Evers' supper is almost over Beomgyu." San warned, prompting impatients groans in the cell.

Taehyun looked up at the other's dark red orbs, "You can apologize to Soobin at the Circus when it's your turn onstage. Everyone will see that you're Good that way."

Beomgyu immediately jerked his hand back, as if he was burnt. He glowered at Taehyun, eyes searching his face for something. His eyebrows furrowed at the sight of faint _violet_ coloring the other's orbs.

"Are you sure you're Taehyun? I prefer the old one, the one who would love a hall of dead royalty."

"Gyu, I won't let you attack my school-"

" _Your_ school?" Beomgyu gasped, before letting out a loud hollow chuckle, "So now it's your school?" He pointed to the sludge leading to the dark castle, "Are you saying that _that_ school is mine?"

"No!" Taehyun responded, almost defensively, "I'm saying that Soobin will see through this. Soobin wants someone he can trust, Beomgyu."

"Now you know what _my_ prince wants?"

"I want you to get him back!"

"You know Taehyun . . ." Beomgyu said, stepping closer, and the other retreated back, "I don't think your new look suits you."

Taehyun swallowed, "Beomgyu, I'm on your side-"

"No, it doesn't suit you at all."

Taehyun slipped and fell. He landed an inch from the roaring river, and he tried pushing himself up as he winces from the impact. But before he could even move, his body froze with horror. So did Jungkook and San.

The Beast was staring back at them, huge black body snared against the slimy dirt on the river wall and dead eyes filled with blood.

Taehyun slowly raised his head to see Beomgyu gazing at the corpse, his lips quivering in fear and panic at the thought of what the other might've done.

"Good never wants to hurt. But sometimes it's necessary to punish villains that stand in our way of achieving love."

Bells echoed from above, "Supper's over." San murmured.

Jungkook forced himself to look away from the Beast, "Do it now San!"

San thrust out a glowing finger to blast open the cell door.

"I have to warn him." Taehyun muttered, pushing himself to his feet but a force tackled him down.

"Don't ya get it?" Jungkook hissed in his ear as he was pinned over the river's halfway point. "Soobin is his _Nemesis_! If Beomgyu's symptoms start, he'll stop at nothing to kill him! We're just doing this to save his life, to save _our_ lives from war!"

"No!" Taehyun struggled against his grip, "This is Evil! It's not the right thing to do!"

Beomgyu approached and looked down at him hanging over the edge. "Be gentle, Kook. Just help him get back to his real school."

Taehyun heard a lock click, and he saw shadows of tall figures scraping through the grate openings, wanting to be let out.

He turned to meet Beomgyu's eyes, "Please don't do this Beomie."

Beomgyu's expression soften, "Don't worry Taehyun. This time, I'll have my happy ending." Then his face went ice-cold, "Because you won't be there to ruin it."

Jungkook pushed Taehyun in the flowing slime that would drag him towards Evil. He gurgled and spat and tried to keep himself afloat, desperately trying to keep his stinging eyes open and gasping for air. But just as the tides lead him to the rushing currents out into the moat, he reached out his hands blindly, trying to grab a hold of something. But what he had actually done was grab Beomgyu's leg and unintentionally pulled him in.

The two boys sank deep into churning darkness. Terrified, Taehyun had pushed himself away from Beomgyu and swam towards the clear water. When he glanced back, he saw a distant silhouette sinking in the sludge, motionless.

His stomach dropped with dread. He hadn't noticed that he pushed Beomgyu hard enough for the other to bump into the wall. And judging by the other's current weak state, he was too tired to move.

_"You're my friend."_

_"That will never change."_

With his last ounce of breath, Taehyun dove for Beomgyu, seizing the other by his waist as he pulled him up to the surface. Their heads bobbed above slime far down the Evil sewer, and Taehyun notices that his friend was still not moving. Choking, heaving, he tried to reach for the wall, but with Beomgyu's weight, he couldn't reach it.

Taehyun looks around frantically, there was light coming out the end of the sewer. He could only hope that it would lead them outside the castles' lake and moat. He realized Beomgyu's burning fever as he tightened his grip around the other's waist, almost hugging him, and tried his best to keep both of their heads above water, before they were rushed out of the sewers and plunged onto the moat.

Immediately, Taehyun pulled himself and Beomgyu up the surface. And then he noticed the surroundings darkening.

Looking back, he saw a huge shimmering wave that could swallow the two of them whole. By impulse, Taehyun hugged Beomgyu tight and he braces for the impact, only for the wave to crash behind them and propel them out of the sludge into the clear lake water.

Albeit stunned, Taehyun tugged Beomgyu to the riverbanks of Good, laying him down properly. He quickly tried to feel for the other's heartbeat, and despite feeling the subtle and slow beating in his chest, he realized that the other wasn't breathing.

_No . . ._

Taehyun kneeled beside the other boy, hands clasped on top of his chest and he started pushing, pumping in hopes the other would wake up.

"No, no. Beomgyu wake up!" Taehyun called, his eyes misting with tears.

He pumped harder, faster, as he swallows the dread in his throat and blinks the tears away.

Each second passed by slowly for Taehyun. In his mind, he was praying, hoping, _wishing_ for the other to wake up. And with another pump on the other's chest, Beomgyu retched, coughing out water from his lips as his eyes fluttered open, adjusting from the stinging sensation brought by the water.

"Taehyun?" He breathed out, voice raspy.

Taehyun engulfed him in a bone-crushing hug, startling the black-haired boy. Beomgyu's heart was pounding in his chest, the earlier events starting to sink in. He slowly moved his arms to hug the other back, and when he does, a _tingling_ sensation was felt on his skin.

There was a stretch of silence for a brief period of time as both of them catch their breaths, before Beomgyu broke it.

"Why did you save me?" He asks softly.

Taehyun pulled away from the other, and looked at him as if it was the most ridiculous thing to ask. "Because you're my friend."

When their pupils locked, Taehyun saw Beomgyu's face grew sad, scared, as if he was woken up from a terrible dream. He was about to touch the other's cheek in order to give a bit of comfort, when Beomgyu's eyes drifted to somewhere behind him and his expression immediately morphed to alert and guarded.

Taehyun swiveled back to look, just in time for Beomgyu to stand and push him to the side. He caught a glimpse of the crooked shadow tearing towards them, and panic immediately crept in his system.

He saw Beomgyu's finger glowing red as he controls the lake water, sending water daggers to attack the shadow. But the shadow was quick enough to dodge and deflect each one.

The shadow lurched for Beomgyu, grabbing him by the hips before throwing him off the ground with shocking strength.

Taehyun's eyes widen, "BEOMGY-"

The shadow pounced at him and grabbed his face, smashing his head on the hard stony grounds. He closed his eyes, praying for instant death, when he felt the School Master's dig his grip into his flesh and fling him into the cold night air.

When Taehyun hit the ground, he was sure he would black out. But he held on.

He tried sitting up, body throbbing in pain and exhaustion. He looked around him and all he could see was massive trees ringed with violet thorns. Taehyun had concluded that he landed somewhere on the Good grounds.

He tried stretching his neck, wincing at the stiffness, before he closed his eyes and massaged his temples, unanswered questions flooding his mind.

Why did the School Master attacked them? Why would he hurl them here without any explanation?

Taehyun sighs, he needed to get back to school. He had to tell Professor Moon what happened, and she had to answer his questions, or he'd demand her to.

Glancing around, all he could see were the same enormous trees and violet vines. He thought that he may be near that flower field where he and the other Evers arrived at the first day. But he couldn't see the lake. Forehead creased and eyes narrowed, he took a more careful look and found a reflective gleam through branches somewhere behind him. Taehyun exhaled in relief as he pushed himself up, slightly stumbling on his feet. He limped through the trees, wincing at almost every move, until he was close enough to see.

His mouth fell open at the sight.

It wasn't the lake, but spiked, golden gates with a sign:

**"TRESPASSERS WILL BE KILLED."**

The School for Good stood behind the gates, spires lit up blue and pink and gleaming under the moonlight.

Taehyun's breath hitched. He wasn't in the school grounds anymore.

He was in the Woods.

"Taehyun!" Beomgyu called nearby.

Taehyun stiffened as he took the information in.

The School Master . . . set them free?

He felt a wave of relief. All he had ever wanted was to go home with Beomgyu, and now was their chance.

"Taehyun! Where are you!"

Taehyun was about to call back to the other when a thought suddenly came in mind.

_Why now?_

How could he leave now when he finally felt like he belonged?

His heart beat faster.

_Why am I hesitating?_

"Taehyun! It's me!"

The pain in Beomgyu's voice snapped him out of his trance.

_What's happening to me?_

Taehyun shook his head. Beomgyu was right. He had started to believe that this was _his_ school, _his_ fairy tale. He had even started to hope that the face he kept seeing might belong to . . . 

_"No one could ever be that Evil."_ Bangchan's voice rang in his head.

_No one could ever be Evil enough to steal another's prince._

Taehyun flushed with guilt.

"Beomgyu! I'm coming!" He yelled.

Beomgyu didn't answer, causing Taehyun to be anxious. He limped towards the direction if his last call, when something tickled his leg.

He glanced down to see a vine of violet thorns creeping around his foot. He kicked it away, but it only snagged his other leg. Taehyun was about to run, but two more vines cuffed his arms as another two held his feet. The vines multiplied until it had snared every inch of his flesh. Taehyun tried struggling to escape, focusing on making his finger glow but the vines pinned him to the ground like a lamb to slaughter. Then a thick one came, its shade darker as it snakes its way up his chest. Taehyun pulled on the vines holding him but he was too weak, as the thick vine stopped an inch from his face and eyed him with its pointed tip. It coiled back, and moved to stab him.

Steel slashed the thorn open, and a pair of warm arms pulled him up.

"Stay close to me!" Soobin yelled, slashing the vines with his training sword.

Dazed, Taehyun clung on Soobin's arm as he withstood thorn lashes with hisses of pain. But soon enough, the prince had the upperhand as he finished cutting through the vines. He pulled Taehyun out of the Woods towards the spiked gates, which glowed with recognition of the two students.

The gates closed shut behind them and Taehyun looked at the limping prince, skin crisscrossed with bloody scratches and his blue coat shredded.

"I had a feeling that Beomgyu was getting in through the Woods." Soobin panted, pulling Taehyun by his wrist. Taehyun limply crashed onto the prince's chest. "So I asked Professor Moon to give me permission to take some fairies and patrol the outer gates, I didn't know you'd be here to catch him yourself."

Taehyun gaped at him.

"It's a stupid idea for a prince to take on witches alone." Soobin said.

"Like you're one to talk." Taehyun retorted. His heart was pounding in his chest hard and he prayed the prince wouldn't hear how loud it was.

"I can handle myself."

"And you think I can't?" Taehyun started walking, wanting to prove his point, but he only limped weakly and almost tripped on his feet. And the prince was quick enough to catch him.

"It's pretty clear that you can." Soobin said, sarcasm dripping from his voice as he pulled Taehyun by the waist, supporting the shorter male.

Taehyun's stomach exploded with butterflies, and his face grew warm. He swallowed the lump in his throat before turning away from the prince as both of them limped towards the castle.

"Where is he?" He croaked, "Is he safe?"

Soobin frowned, "It's not a good idea for a prince to worry about witches."

Taehyun pushed Soobin away, "I'm not a prince!" He snapped, dusting away his wet coat in attempts to hide his flustered state.

"If you say so." Soobin shrugged, eyes drifting downward.

He followed the prince's eyes to his legs, the huge cuts in his pants showing drips of brilliant blood, staining the fabric. He suddenly felt lightheaded, his vision getting blurry . . .

Soobin smiled, "One . . . Two . . . Three."

Taehyun fainted in his arms.

The prince chuckled, "Definitely an Ever."

Soobin carried him towards six distant fairies playing in the lake, before he stopped cold in his tracks. In front of him on the dead grass, Beomgyu looked up from his knees, his black clothing stained with blood.

"Taehyun?"

"You!" Soobin hissed.

Beomgyu stood up, slightly swaying on his sides until he managed to gain his balance. He held out his arms, blocking the prince's path. "Give him to me. I'll take him."

"This is _your_ fault!" Soobin yelled, holding Taehyun tighter.

"Taehyun saved my life." Beomgyu said, "He's my friend."

"A prince can't be friends with a _witch_!"

"Taehyun is my friend!" Beomgyu flared, his finger glowing red as he glared at the prince.

Soobin saw it and his finger instantly glowed gold, raised to defend.

Slowly, Beomgyu's face weakened and his finger dimmed. "I don't know what's happening to me." He whispered, voice soft.

"Don't even try it." Soobin warned.

"It's that school! It changed me!"

"Move out of my way!"

"Please! Give me a chance! Let me show I'm Good!"

"I'm warning you."

"Soobin, I'm _sorry_!" Beomgyu cried, but the prince just shoved him aside and trudged ahead.

"The Good forgive." A voice whispered.

Soobin stopped on his tracks. He looked down at Taehyun, weak against his chest.

"You promised him, Soobin."

The prince stared at him in disbelief, "What are you saying-"

"Take him to the castle. Show everyone that he's your prince for the Ball."

"But he- he's a-" Soobin stuttered.

"He's my friend." Taehyun said, meeting Beomgyu's tearful eyes.

Soobin looked between them, before his eyes settled on Taehyun. He shook his head, "No! Taehyun, listen to me."

"You have to keep your word, Soobin." 

"I can't!" The prince pleaded.

"Please forgive him." Taehyun's violet orbs looked deep into his eyes, "For me."

Soobin's voice was caught in his throat, and Taehyun knew he won. He moved to get out of the other's grip, and balanced himself on the ground.

Slumping his shoulders in defeat, Soobin took off his coat and put them over Taehyun's shivering shoulders, leaving him only with a shirt on. He opened his mouth to complain when the brunette spoke first.

"Go. I'm fine. I'll come back with the fairies."

Soobin grudgingly turned away, limping with his gashed leg. Beomgyu immediately put himself under Soobin's arm to support him, but the prince recoiled from his touch.

"Please Binnie." Beomgyu whispered, his dark red orbs stained with unshed tears, "I promise I'll change."

Soobin wanted to push him away, even if he was struggling to stand. But then he saw Taehyun behind Beomgyu, gaze reminding him of his own promise. He clenched his fists as his jaw tighten, as if he was fighting himself; trying to tell himself that promises could be broken . . . but he knew the truth. He released a deep sigh before he went limp against Beomgyu, head resting on the smaller's shoulder.

Although surprised, Beomgyu held on his prince tight, helping him move forward. Soobin looked back at Taehyun, limping on his own with relief obvious on his feature. The prince exhaled in resignation as Beomgyu pulled him towards the lake. The other smiled at him, his soft face reflecting repentance. Finally, the prince managed a forced smile in return.

The half-moon showed itself from behind the clouds, and it was enough to shower them with its soothing light. As he and Beomgyu reached the lake with bodies intertwined, Soobin looked down at their two shadows in perfect step. Yet his eyes drifted to his bloody reflection in the glimmering waters, glowing next to . . . an ugly witch.

Soobin looked up in horror, but there was only beautiful Beomgyu beside him, gently guiding him to Good. He glanced back at the lake but the water had clouded. A sudden chill ran down his spine.

"I can't-" He choked, pulling himself free from Beomgyu's grasp.

"Binnie?" Beomgyu exhaled.

The prince moved away and pulled Taehyun close to him, the latter's face full of surprise.

Beomgyu paled, "Binnie, what did I do-"

"Just stay away from us!" Soobin said, tightening his hold on Taehyun, "Stay away from us both!"

" _Us?_ " Beomgyu croaked, his lips quivering.

"Soobin wait-" Taehyun begged.

"Let him find his way to Evil." The prince spat, raising his glowing finger to call the fairies.

"Taehyun?"

Taehyun looked back at Beomgyu, the latter's expression was as if asking for some sort of explanation. A mix of confusion and betrayal was evident on his features, and Taehyun's face flushed with apology.

But then, Beomgyu's face morphed with fury and hate. Forgiveness thrown in the pits of fire burning in his heart.

_"LOOK AT HIM!"_

The echo blasted across the lake.

Taehyun went white.

_"HE'S A WITCH!"_ Beomgyu screamed.

Slowly, Soobin turned, glaring eyes cutting through the Never, "Look closer."

Beomgyu watched in horror as fairies swirled around the two Evers. In Soobin's arms, Taehyun had the same expression.

As both of them saw that they were in the right schools after all.

Beomgyu hang his head low, refusing to see Taehyun and his prince being guided towards the other school. He stood frozen on the lakeshore, panting warm breaths alone in the darkness. The sky above the schools darkened and heavy drops of rain accompanied by strikes of lighting poured in.

_"You're the only friend I ever had."_

His muscles tightened with tension, hands curling into fists. Angry tears flowed from his eyes along the pouring rain. And his blood boiled hotter, fire dancing in his veins, body blazing with heat.

Just as he thought he would explode into flames, lightning striked a few meters behind him, and a sharp pain stabbed his left jaw. Beomgyu put his hand to it, and he felt something there.

The surroundings got significantly darker again, and Beomgyu looked up to see a massive wave in front of him, about to swallow him whole.

But when the wave crashed onto him, he immediately crashed through the window of Room 66.

Jungkook and San leapt off their beds. "Where were you? We searched everywhere-"

Beomgyu ignored them as he walked to the mirror perched on the wall beside his old bed, stopping cold at the sight of himself.

There was a thick black wart on his jaw.

Beomgyu frowned as he frantically picked at it, attempting to pull it away. He knows what this means, and even at this point, he _refuses_ to believe. Hesitation still lingering in his system despite all the recent events.

_"I won't let it change."_

His jaw tightened at the memory, then he saw his roommates in the mirror's reflection, both of them white as sheets.

" _Symptoms_." They gasped.

Dripping, Beomgyu dashed up the stairs to the top-floor study and blasted the lock open with his glowing finger, but he instantly levitated off the floor, strangled for breath at the ceiling.

Lady Wheein stormed out of her bedroom in her nightgown, finger thrust out. When she saw who was the intruder, she gently lowered her hand, bringing Beomgyu back on the floor. Eyes wide, she moved towards the student and took his trembling face in her sharp red nails.

"Just in time for the Circus." She said, fingers caressing the swollen black wart, "The Evers are in for a _surprise_."

"I don't want this." Beomgyu muttered, lips quivering, and his body starts to tremble.

"But I'm afraid we couldn't control it for long, dear." Lady Wheein marveled, "You just have to embrace it."

In the darkness of the castle towers, a figure sat in one of the balconies. Dark red eyes staring into the fog.

He sat there in a daze, hugging his snakeskin cape in order to make himself warm. And when the exhaustion took over his system and lulled him to sleep, the once unrecognizable face appeared in his dreams.

This time clearer.

This time, his Nemesis had a name.

And it wasn't Soobin.

~

"Take us to Professor Moon's office." Soobin ordered the fairies as they take him and Taehyun into the sky.

"To my room." Taehyun ordered the fairies flying him.

"But you're hurt!" Soobin argued.

"We tell anyone what happened and things will be worse than they already are." Taehyun argued back.

The fairies pulled them apart.

"Tell no one!" Taehyun called.

"Wait! Will you be at the Circus?" Soobin shouted as he was being dragged in the opposite direction.

But Taehyun didn't answer.

As his fairies lifted him into the rainy sky, he looked out at the silver tower shadowed over the foggy bay. His heart felt numb as he remembered the encounter with the School Master.

He had warned them. He had seen who they were.

_"I won't let it change."_

_But things are different now, aren't they?_

He wrapped Soobin's bloody coat around him as his fairies flew him higher and higher against what seemed like a growing storm.

When they reached his window, he immediately crawled inside and thanked the fairies, before he slumped down on the floor in exhaustion.

"Is that who you were since the beginning Beomie?"

Tides of doubt washed over his system as he recalls all the memories he had with Beomgyu.

_"We're friends!"_

But when a huge lightning striked somewhere below the towers, his guilt and shock burned into anger.

_Villains are the ones closest to us._

Villains in the cloak of best friends.

Oh he'd be at that Circus, all right.

Because Namjoon was right.

This was never Beomgyu's fairy tale.

It was his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional Relationship Tag:
> 
> Choi Soobin / Kang Taehyun


	14. Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Will you be my date for the Ball?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's a little list of their visual inspirations i used so that you can imagine their appearance better.
> 
> soobin - star1 magazine shoot  
> taehyun - latest dispatch photoshoot  
> hueningkai - 190907 tokyo girls collection  
> beomgyu - 2020 season's greetings thief ver. (although not detailed, +black hair, +the cape is longer)

"So there wasn't any attack after all." Professor Seokjin said, sipping a cup of tea.

Professor Moon was standing near her study window, gazing at the School Master's tower glistening in the sinking sun. "Jimin said that the boys found nothing. Meanwhile, Soobin spent half the night uselessly patrolling the grounds. Maybe that was Beomgyu's tactic: to rob our best players of sleep."

Professor Seokjin sighs as he places his now empty cup on top of the coffee table. "I hope the students would still look decent for their proposals."

Professor Moon gave a small forced smile before turning to the window again, putting her hand against it as she peers at the tower, "What is he so afraid of us seeing? What's the point of preparing students for these trials if we cannot be there for them?"

"Because we won't be there for them in the Woods, Byulyi." Professor Seokjin said, "It's why he forbids us to interfere. No matter how cruel they could be to each other, nothing could prepare them for how cruel their stories can be. We just have to trust them."

Professor Moon was quiet for a moment, "Maybe you should head back now."

Professor Seokjin followed her eyes to the sunset and stood from his seat, "We'd be stuck together the whole night." He jokes, before wrapping his night robe around his body, and moving to the door.

"Seokjin."

The said professor looked back.

"That boy scares me." She said, the tremble in her voice evident.

Seokjin gave her a warming smile, "Your students are ready, Byulyi. We'll hear their victory cries soon enough, okay?"

Byulyi managed to smile back, and she nodded. Seokjin blew her a kiss before closing the door behind him.

Professor Moon watched the sun sink in the horizon, and at the exact moment that the sky went dark, she heard a lock snap behind her. She quickly shuffled to the door; twisting the knob, yanking the lock, blasting it with her wand . . . But it was sealed shut by magic greater than hers.

Her face contorted with nerves, and she tried catching her breath to relax.

"They'll be safe." She exhales, trudging into her bedchamber, "They always are."

~

On the night before the Ball, the students entered the Swan Theater, which was fully enchanted for the Circus.

Above each side, a chandelier of ten swan-shaped candles hang from the ceiling; white for Good, black for Evil. Between them hovered the steel Circus Crown, brilliant in flame light with seven long, sharp spires, awaiting the night's winner.

Evergirls arrived first, all dressed up for the Ball proposals with colorful evening gowns. They entered the west doors, waving flags with white swans and banners written with **TEAM GOOD!**

Through the east doors, roaring Nevers shoved in, waving hideous signs scrawled with **TEAM EVIL!** They took in the scorched marks on the walls; shadows of monsters eating peasants and witches cooking children; along with huge stalactites decorating the ceilings.

"Who did all this?" a Never asked.

"The School Master." Hongjoong answered, "No wonder he doesn't let teachers in."

As the last Nevergirls and Everboys arrived, guided by wolves and fairies, they too had felt the thrill of a room without adults. Only Soobin looked unimpressed, the last to limp in through the doors. He was wearing a white silk shirt with ruffles hugging his neck and wrist, along with black slacks that highlights his long legs, black suspenders, and black leather shoes. His face had scratches from the night before, but despite that and the dark bags under his eyes, he still looked handsome. His eyes scanned the Evers' seats for someone, before slumping in his own seat with disappoinment.

Jungkook frowned as he watched the prince, "Have ya seen Beomgyu?" he hissed at San, ignoring Bangchan's glares down the pews.

"He never came back from Lady Wheein's last night." San whispered.

"Do ya think she cured him?"

"I don't think so. Maybe it got worse."

"This is bad. What if he attacks Soobin?"

"But Soobin doesn't have any symptoms Kook!" San said, gazing at the prince, "When a villain's symptoms start, their Nemesis grows stronger."

But Soobin was slouching in his seat, looking pale and weary.

"But if he's not Beomgyu's Nemesis . . . " Jungkook gapes, " . . . then who?"

Behind them, the Ever doors opened and the most beautiful prince they had ever seen came in.

He wore a light pink long-sleeved shirt accompanied by a white tie and white pants. His hair was colored cherry-red and parted in the middle, delicately styled over his forehead and revealing his dark purple orbs with sparkly glitter make-up.

"A bit late in the term for new students." Soobin said, ogling.

"He's not new." Mingi said next to him, eyes wide.

Soobin stared at the newcomer; those high nose and cheeks, thin and soft pink lips, and the familiar big eyes that he never knew he would be drawn in.

Smiling shyly, Taehyun passed by Hueningkai, who was still as a stone; boys and girls who were eyeing him, slightly forgetting their soon-to-be Ball dates; and sat beside Yunho, whose eyes were about to pop.

"Did you use black magic?" Yunho asked.

"Uh, kind of? Is Groom Room considered as one?" Taehyun whispered, not telling how he just woke up with this bright red hair. It was partly true though, how he used the Groom Room to look this presentable.

Taehyun looked over at the other side, spotting Beomgyu's empty seat. He saw Soobin noticing it too, before the prince looked back and his sparkly black eyes met his. 

Across the aisle, Jungkook and San went white with understanding.

"Welcome to the Circus of Cyphers."

Students looked up to see the white wolf onstage, accompanied by a fairy beside him.

"Tonight, we will have twenty duels in the order of ranks," he instructed, "The 10th-ranked Ever will perform their talent followed by the 10th-ranked Never. The School Master will anoint a winner and publicly punish the loser." At this, the students eagerly scanned the Theater in hopes to see him, but the wolf only snorted and continued, "We'll proceed to the 9th pair, then the 8th, until we get to the 1st-ranked pair. At the end of the Circus, whoever the School Master deems the most impressive talent will win the Circus Crown and their school will win the Swan Theater for the next year."

Good students burst out into chanting "GOOD! GOOD! GOOD!", and the Evil students barked their own chants back, "EVIL! EVIL! EVIL!"

"Just because there are no teachers here, doesn't mean you can act like animals." The wolf growled, and everyone went silent. "If you have questions, keep them to yourself. If you need to use the toilet, the floor is a free space. Because the doors are locked and the Circus begins now."

Taehyun and Soobin exhaled in relief. So did Jungkook and San.

Because of all the acts they'd see tonight, Beomgyu's isn't one of them.

~

Taehyun watched another one of Evil's candles extinguish, the sixth one of ten. He felt his stomach twist in nervousness, two more duels until his turn.

"What's your talent?" Yunho nudged.

"Does wearing makeup count?" Taehyun says uncomfortably, his hands were getting sweaty because he didn't know his talent. And the fact that Evers sneak glances towards him doesn't help.

"Don't tell me you have no idea! Taehyun, no one would take someone who loses to Evil."

"I know!"

Taehyun gently brushed his hands on his hair, careful not to ruin it as he attempts to soothe himself. His mind was fogged with a lot of thoughts, but only one mattered. Because if no one would take him, then he was a witch and he'd _fail_.

Breath shallowing, Taehyun turned to the stage. He needs a talent _now_.

"Presenting Never Hongjoong!" the wolf called.

Pointy-eared Hongjoong went to the stage and peered down at yawning Evers, who were ready for another lame curse or villanous monologue. He nodded towards his bunk mates, who pulled drums from underneath their seats and gave him a beat.

Hongjoong started to hop from one foot to another, along with arm poses as if he was doing a ritual. And the Nevers realize that one of their best villains was . . . 

"Is he _dancing_?" Jungkook said, scowling.

Drumbeats grew faster, Hongjoong stomps louder, the whites of his eyes blackened.

Then Hongjoong bent back in an inhuman manner, clawing at the backs of his tunic, before he lunged forward as he took the fabric off his body, revealing a hairy back and his spine that was visibly enlarged. The hair on his arms started to thicken, hands morphed into claws, before he let out a scream that turned into a roar.

Nevers launched to their feet, whooping wildly.

Hongjoong sneered down, blanketed in dark brown fur over bulking muscles.

"He's a werewolf?" San gasped.

"Man-wolf." Jungkook answered, remembering the Beast's corpse. "More control than a werewolf."

Hongjoong continued to parade his muscles at petrified Evers before he returned back to normal, and returned to his seat with a smirk.

Taehyun noticed that the wolf guards weren't impressed by the act, and instead, it was the fairies that was excitedly buzzing. _Did they made a bet or something,_ he thought. Before focusing again on his missing talent. Each Never was getting better and unlike the Evers that won so far, he couldn't twirl ribbons or do arrow tricks. How could he prove himself Good?

His eyes shifted to Soobin, who was staring at him again and he felt his insides twist and his breath hitch. All along, he had thought that his happy ending was going home with Beomgyu. But it wasn't. His happy ending was here, in this magical world, with his prince.

How far had he come from his graveyard.

Now he had his own story, his own life.

Soobin's eyes pinned on him, sparkling, hopeful, like there was no one else in world he could see.

_He's yours_ , his reflection had promised, dressed just as he was right now. When he went to the Groom Room, he had hoped to feel just like the prince he saw back on the Bridge, smiling at him.

But why couldn't he smile now? Why was he still thinking of . . . 

_Beomgyu?_

Soobin smiled brighter and mouthed, "What's your talent?"

Taehyun parted his lips to answer, but no words came out and his lips only quivered. He looked away from the prince and fidgeted with his fingers, stomach dropping to the floor as his turn was getting near.

"Presenting Ever Mingi!" the white wolf announced.

Nevers filled the Theater with shouts of boos and flying gruel. The Evil decorations joined in the act, the walls' scorched marks depicting the Ever beaten, burned, even beheaded. Mingi, however, took it all in with a calm smile as he made his way onstage. Then he drew his sword, closed his eyes, and did a flawless sword dance; each slash of the sword sending waves of wind towards the audience and the scorched marks on the wall, which bled red as it bounced off the carvings and chorusly moaned in pain before it disappeared.

Another candle burnt out from the Evil's chandelier.

Hongjoong's smile vanished, and he was immediately yanked into the air by an invisible force. His pointed ears enlarged to the size of an elephant's, and nose elongated before he fell to the aisle with a loud trumpet.

"Evers win." The white wolf grinned.

Taehyun creased his forehead, _That's strange. Why is he happy that his side is losing?_

"It's the last pair before your turn." Yunho whispered. 

Taehyun's heart hammered. He couldn't focus with his mind drifting between Soobin and Beomgyu, between excitement and guilt.

_Talent . . . Think of a talent . ._ .

Mogrify? He couldn't, since the teachers' counterspells were still in place.

He couldn't use his favorite spells either, since they were all Evil.

"I could just call a bird or something . . . " He murmured, trying to remember Yongsun's lessons.

"How will the bird get in?" Yunho asked, nodding at the locked doors.

Taehyun massaged his temples in frustration.

San took the stage next, but with his talents locked in the Doom Room, he couldn't do anything else. He tried cursing the doors to open, only to find the magic too strong to break.

Hueningkai went onstage, dressed in a white shirt with gold beadings, a white coat and white pants. He looked like an angel, with his brown hair styled and beautiful smile. The prince then serenaded them with a song so calming and sweet that soon had all the Evers singing along:

_I can't tell you why because my brain can't equate it_

_Tell me your lies because I just can't face it_

_It's you, it's you, it's you_

_I won't, I won't, I won't cover the scars, I'll let 'em bleed_

_So my silence, so my silence won't be mistaken for peace_

_Am I wrong for wanting us to make it_

_Tell me your lies because I just can't face it_

_It's you, it's you, it's you_

_Oh Soobin it's you, it's you, it's you_

"They'll be so perfect for the Ball, don't you think?" Yunho said, a dreamy smile on his lips.

Taehyun watched Soobin join the sing-along, amused by the earnest devotion of the other prince. Taehyun had to smile too, realizing that somewhere in there, Hueningkai had a speck of Good. All he needed was talent to show it.

Then he saw Soobin smiling right at him, as if confident he'd have a talent far superior. A talent worthy of Camelot's son. It was the same look the prince had given Beomgyu once upon a time.

Before Beomgyu failed him. 

As San suffered a swarm of stinkbugs, the white wolf announced, "Never Jungkook and Ever Taehyun!"

Taehyun's shoulders slacken, his time had run out.

"Without Beomgyu, Jungkook's our last hope." One-Eyed said, holding her eye tightly between her hands (since the School Master had punished her by making it bounce all over the Theater.)

"He doesn't seem to think so." Hongjoong frowned, watching Jungkook slump to the stage.

They saw why when Jungkook unleashed his demon and it only managed to conjure a weak firebolt before fading in his arm. The Never coughed painfully, and clutched his heart as if the poor effort had drained him. He knew that he hadn't recovered well from his stunt at the Trial.

But if Jungkook went down without a fight, his teammates had no intention of doing the same. As they are villains, if things don't go their way, they simply had to change the rules.

As Taehyun took the stage, distracted as he frantically thinks of a talent, the Nevers huddled in whispers.

"Do it! Do it!"

"No!" He heard Bangchan's voice.

When he turned, he saw Hongjoong raising his glowing finger, a _Spells_ book in hand and shouted an incantation.

Taehyun went stiff and collapsed unconscious.

A crack was heard on the ceiling, and soon enough, a stalactite fell; at the same time as Soobin tackled Hongjoong by his large ears. A Never snatched Soobin by the collar and hurled him to a chandelier. The students dodged the falling candles, which ignited the aisles. Everboys leapt towards the Never pews, as the Nevers swatted them away.

Both sides were throwing shoes at each other across the burning aisle when Taehyun fluttered his eyes open.

His eyes widened at the sight and he immediately searched for the guards, only to find wolves beating up Nevers and fairies hitting Evers and fueling the flames more. Taehyun wiped his eyes and looked again.

_Wolves and fairies are making this fight worse?_

Then he saw one fairy in particular, biting every beautiful Ever.

_"I don't want to die."_

_"I didn't either." The white wolf replied._

Taehyun was hit with realization.

He pushed himself up and stood in the middle of the stage. He flicked his glowing finger and a crack of lightning exploded through the aisle and everyone froze in shock.

"Sit down." He commanded.

No one disobeyed, even the wolves and fairies who skulked into the ashen aisle, ashamed.

Taehyun exhaled a breath as he briefly glanced at the guards of both schools. "We think we know who we are, or what sides we're on. We divide everything into Good or Evil, beautiful or ugly, royalty or witch, right or wrong." His eyes landed on the fairy boy that bites, "But what if there are things in between?"

The fairy looked back at him, eyes welling with tears.

_Make a wish._

Terrified, the fairy boy shook his head.

_All you have to do is make a wish._

The fairy boy hesitated . . . 

Then just like the fish, just like the gargoyle, Taehyun started to hear its thoughts.

_Show them . . ._

It was a voice he knew.

_Show them the truth._

Taehyun smiled sadly.

_Wish granted._

He thrust out his hand and ghostly blue light burst upward from the fairies' and wolves' frozen bodies. The students squinted and saw that it were _human_ spirits; some were their age, most were wizened and old, wearing the same uniform as them. What confused them was the fact that the ones in Good's uniform were above the wolves' bodies, and the ones in Evil's above the fairies'. They turned to Taehyun for an explanation.

Taehyun kept his eyes on the fairy boy, with thin, black-robed Yongbok floating above. The boy who likes biting pretty children back in Ttukseom, now a few years older.

He looked at the old white-haired man's spirit over the white wolf, soothing a crying young girl's spirit on the fairy.

"If you fail, you become a slave for the opposite side. It's the School Master's punishment for an impure soul." Taehyun sighs, "He thinks this would fix these students; putting them in the wrong schools. This world teaches us that we could only be in one school and not the other . . ."

He looked across the phantoms, all as frightened and helpless as Yongbok.

" . . . But is it true?"

Taehyun gave a weak smile as his hand lost steadiness, bringing the phantoms back in their respective bodies.

"If only I could set them all free, I would. But his magic is too strong."

He went back to his seat, noticing the sniffling wolves, fairies, and everyone on both sides dabbing at their eyes. 

"I used to hate them, but now I feel bad for them. If only I could give them a hug." Yunho said, wiping his cheeks with a handkerchief.

Across the aisle, Taehyun met Jungkook's eyes, who was smiling through his tears as he mumbled softly, "It makes me wonder whose side I'm on."

Evil's 9th candle extinguished above him.

With a miserable sigh, Jungkook stood up as a gush of boiling black oil exploded from the ceiling. He closed his eyes, and clenched his fist, awaiting for the punishment that never came.

Jungkook turned to see three wolves shielding him, bodies seared with steaming oil and they panted in pain. They glowered into the air, as if informing the School Master that they had seen enough of his punishments.

The Theater went silent as everyone stared at each other, thinking that the rules of the game had suddenly changed.

"F-final duel!" The white wolf stammered, "Never Beomgyu versus Ever Soobin. With Beomgyu absent, we'll proceed to Soobin."

"No." Soobin stood, "We've seen Good that cannot be matched. The Circus ends now." He turned to Taehyun and bowed in defeat, "There is no doubt of the winner."

Taehyun met his sparkling eyes, and for the first time, he didn't think of Beomgyu.

Both sides looked up at the gleaming Crown, waiting for it to bless the prince's claim.

But instead, there was a very loud knock, and for a moment, no one was sure where it'd came from.

Then came another one, louder as it pierces across the silence.

And it came from the Never doors.

"The Circus is _closed_!" The white wolf roared, but is only answered by two more knocks.

"I thought teachers were locked in their rooms." Taehyun whispered.

"So it's not a teacher, then." Yunho whispered back, sneaking a glance at Mingi.

Taehyun met Jungkook's gaze across the aisle, both boys shuddering at the thought of the only possible person outside that door. Both of them slightly jumped when there was another loud knock.

"You will not be let in!" The wolf firmly stated.

The knocking stopped.

The slowly, magically, all the doors creaked open on their own.

Into the Swan Theater walked in a figure, hood lowered on its head. Hundreds of eyes watched the stranger glide quietly through the aisle, snakeskin cape barely touching the floor, revealing a pair of leather boots. The black shadow ascended to the stage and stood still in the middle, right underneath the floating Circus Crown.

The doors slammed shut.

Pale fingers slithered from under the glimmering cape, and pulled the hood back.

Beomgyu glared down at his audience; skin white enough to see veins, eyes glinting dark red, hair completely blackened, and black warts decorating parts of his face and neck. What scared the students more was that the skin under his eyes was dark and cracking as if it was a vase.

He slowly scanned the terrified faces of the crowd with a widening grin, until he saw Taehyun and he lost his smile.

"I see we have a new prince." He tilted his head, "Lovely, isn't he?"

Taehyun returned his stare, heart pounding as he clenched his fists. He felt no more sympathy for the other, no more desire to chase after him, no more intention to please.

"But look closer, he's actually a vampire waiting to suck your souls." He clicked his tongue, "Since he doesn't have one of his own."

Under the façade, Taehyun was actually trembling. He didn't know how to react, so he withstood his withering glare until Beomgyu took the initiative to break it as he turned to Soobin and smiled.

"Binnie! I'm glad to see you here. I believe we still have our match to finish."

"The Circus is over." Soobin declared, "A winner has already been crowned."

"Oh. Then how would you explain that?"

He pointed his slender finger into the air and everyone looked up at the floating Crown, still ungiven.

"This is bad." Jungkook said to San, "This is very bad."

Soobin stood up, "Just leave, before you make a fool of yourself."

"You know what I'm capable of, Binnie." Beomgyu smirked, "Are you scared?"

Soobin holds himself back as he glares at the Never onstage. He could feel the Evers' eyes on him, just like in the Clearing when Beomgyu exposed his promise.

"Show me, then." Beomgyu said, voice laced with sweetness, "Show me something I can't match."

Soobin gritted his teeth, fighting his pride.

Hongjoong suddenly noticed a burnt "TEAM EVIL!" banner on the floor, and his eyes sparkled with hope.

"SHOW US!" he boomed, elbowing the Never beside him, who joined in, "SHOW US! SHOW US!" All the Nevers have pitched in the chant, desperate to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

"No! Stop-" Jungkook yelled as he and San turned around, but the Nevers immediately snarled at them as if they were traitors, and the two witches had quickly joined the chant.

As the chants grew, Soobin didn't move. The Evers grew impatient as they shifted in their seats, waiting for their captain to take the challenge.

But Taehyun wasn't. Instead, he closed his eyes and hoped:

_Don't do it. It's what he wants._

Suddenly, the Theater bursted into roars and Taehyun's eyes shot open, just in time to see the prince cross onto the stage.

" _No!_ " He screamed, but his voice was swallowed by the loud cheers.

Separated by six feet, Beomgyu smiled and the prince glowered back. Neither of them said a word as the chants turned into "EVIL! EVIL! EVIL!" and "GOOD! GOOD! GOOD!"

Thunder rumbled in the distance and the cheers grew louder, drowning the sound of the growing storm outside.

Soobin's muscles tensed, and his jaw tightened. On the other hand, Beomgyu's smile widened. Taehyun was now shaking in fear as he watched his old friend's grin grow taunting, mocking the prince; until Soobin flushed with fury. The prince's finger glowed gold, and just as it looked like he'd attack-

He dropped to his knees.

The hall went silent for a few seconds in shock, before the Nevers exploded in roaring victory. 

Beomgyu walked towards the kneeling prince, every step echoed loudly over the cheers.

He sighed and slightly shook his head, "Thank you for making this easy."

Soobin looked up at him with scared eyes.

"What are you waiting for?" Beomgyu mocked.

The prince's expression hardened, "Definitely not you."

He pulled out his training sword and Beomgyu drew back. But instead of striking him, Soobin stayed on one knee, turned to the aisle and thrusted the blade towards the crowd.

"Taehyun of Woods Beyond."

He laid down the sword.

"Will you be my date for the Ball?"

Beomgyu froze. The Nevers stopped cheering.

In the dead silence, Taehyun tried to find his breath. Then he saw Beomgyu's face, shock melting to hurt.

As he looks into his friend's scared eyes, Taehyun suddenly felt that he was being pulled into an old grave of darkness, doubt clawing his feet deeper.

Until a boy pulled him up.

A boy on one knee.

A boy who looked at him the way he had been through goblins, coffins, and pumpkins.

A boy who had chosen him long before both of them knew it.

A boy now asking to choose him.

Taehyun gazed back at his prince.

" _Yes_." 

"No!" Hueningkai protested, jumping to his feet.

Hyunjin dropped to his knees before him.

"Hueningkai, will you be my date for the Ball?"

One by one, the Evers cascaded into proposals.

"Jennie, will you be my princess to the Ball?" said Jongin.

"Chaeyoung, will you be my date to the Ball?" said Jisoo.

The Evers fell in glorious rhythm, hands holding out to propose. Each one had heard their name and a response, each one had their gasp, until there was only one left with no one.

Yunho's eyes welled with tears, head bowed down as the fear of failure dawned on him, only to see Mingi on one knee before him.

"Yunho, will you be my date for the Ball?"

"Yes!" Yunho screamed.

"Yes!" Jennie squealed.

"Yes!" Chaeyoung exclaimed.

The Theater flooded with waves of ecstasy, even Hueningkai mustered his best smile and took Hyunjin's hand, "Yes!"

Watching across the aisles, the Nevers' faces began to morph; scowls turning sorrowful, eyes melting to hurt. Hongjoong, One-Eyed, San . . . even Jungkook. As if they too had wished that they could have such happiness, such joy. As if they too had wished for someone to love, and someone to love them back; someone to make them feel wanted. Gone was their will to fight, lost to broken hearts, like snakes drained of venom.

But one snake was still seething.

From the stage, Beomgyu's eyes never left Taehyun as Soobin took him into his arms. He clenched his shaking hands into fists, nails drawing blood into his palms. He started shivering with rage, sight reddening, breath becoming heavy.

From the depths of his soul, hate flowed like lava. From the bottom of his heart, a song came to life. A song so tragic yet so lovely, a song he had never heard but is achingly familiar. A song his heart had always yearned for.

With his eyes on the happy couple, Beomgyu opened his blooded palms to his sides and sang at full scream. Above him, the black stalactites transformed into razor-sharp beaks, cawing, shrieking with life; and all at once, ravens dived from the ceiling and attacked everything in sight.

The students ducked for cover, shielding their ears from the deafening scream, but Beomgyu raised it an octave higher.

Fairies flew for Beomgyu but the ravens swallowed all but one, who barely escaped through a crack in the walls. With their paws on their ears, the wolves were vulnerable as the birds slit their throats with ruthless speed. The white wolf grabbed a young brown wolf into his arms as they swatted back ravens, until their noses and ears bled and the swarm dragged them behind the stage and ended their fight.

Beomgyu's eyes were glowing red as he sang, watching the birds deliver death; but before it could swooped down and do the same to the students, he stopped singing and the ravens crumbled to thin air.

Horrified and panting with pain, everyone looked at the villain onstage. But Beomgyu wasn't looking at them.

The Evers and Nevers followed his eyes to the Circus Crown that was swaying in midair, awakened to judgment. It fluttered down and drifted between Good and Evil, back and forth.

Until the sharp crown twirled with decision.

And light as a feather, it landed on Beomgyu's head.

Beomgyu's lips curled into a grin, and he raised his head smugly.

"Don't forget the prize."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this update was late from my usual schedule for various reasons; like txt's comeback, occurrence of mental block, another fic idea that bothered me a lot, and the current issue of racism and police brutality.
> 
> and regarding the last, please sign the petitions on twitter, rt tweets, and support black people in this situation, by helping trend the hashtags and spreading the word. black lives matter as it should be, race isn't an excuse to discriminate, and a badge isn't a license to murder.


	15. Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You know what your heart yearns for anyway." 

Taehyun saw streaks of white magically erase the stage behind Beomgyu.

And he had seen it before.

" _RUN!_ " he screamed.

White streaks erased the walls, and darted across the aisles. Students screamed as they fled for the doors.

But it was too late.

The Swan Theater vanished in a blast of white, sending both schools tumbling into the Good stair room. Evers smashed onto the Purity and Charity staircases, Nevers onto Honor and Valor.

Lightning and wind shattered the stained glass windows, and rain flooded the floor. Jungkook and the other villains ran up the staircases in panic, but just as he reached the landing, Jungkook slipped on the wet glass and slid between the railings.

Dangling on the banister, he flailed his other hand up, searching for something to grab on. But water only splashed on his face and wet the banisters.

"Help!"

Jungkook kicked in the air, and his hand slipped.

Bangchan plunged down to grab it just in time.

"Chan!"

The scarred male pulled him up, clumsily slipping a couple of times until Jungkook had managed to crawl on the landing.

"Bangchan, I'm-"

"Save it. I know you're bullies and bad friends, but you're the only ones I have." Bangchan said, tone firm, "Come on! We have to find the teachers."

On the other hand, the Evers frantically crawled up to the towers, until Beomgyu sang them a piercing note and the glass staircases exploded under their feet, sending students to crash on the marble floors.

With his glowing finger, Beomgyu swiftly stabbed it to the side and the floor quaked. The Evers fell still in shock, until the foyer cracked like thin ice; first one, until it spread in all directions. Beomgyu then raised his finger up and the cracks split open. Stunned Evers fell into each other and they tumbled towards the forming rifts.

They reached for something to grab on as the jagged floors tilted, but failed and they slid towards the end of the cliffs. With panicked screams and desperate measures, their hands found splintered pieces of the marble floor and they held on with every last ounce of will, feet kicking above the deadly darkness below.

"Taehyun!" Soobin screamed, jumping across rain-soaked gorges, looking for his prince as he pulled his classmates up.

Lightning flashed outside the castle and Soobin grew more distraught.

"Taehyun, where are you!"

Then across the room, high against a shattered window, he saw two pale hands clinging over a cliff of broken wall.

" _Taehyun! I'm coming!_ "

Soobin ran over broken piles of stone and glass, skipping over narrow canyons, jumping towards higher islands, and with a huge leap, he dove onto the jagged cliff top, landing on his right arm as he slid over shattered glass. Without another second to spare, he crawled to the edge-

And Beomgyu pulled himself up to face him.

Soobin backed away in horror and jumped to his feet. Beomgyu stepped closer and he would step back, until there was no more floor to step on. He looked behind him and saw the cliff's edge, with Evers crying for help below.

"Now I wonder," Beomgyu said, Circus Crown sparkling on rain-soaked hair, "If you are the one to rescue Taehyun . . . then who's going to rescue _you_?"

"You promised-" Soobin stuttered, searching for an escape. "You promised you'd change!"

"Did I?" Beomgyu replied, his expression darkening, "Then I guess we both made promises we won't keep."

And with a scream, he unleashed his highest note yet.

The prince crumbled to his knees, eyes wide and body trembling. Paralyzed, Soobin felt his nose bleed and ears sizzle. As Beomgyu watched him in pain, a smirk made its way on his lips as he delivered another note that would _promise_ death.

But Taehyun tackled him against the open window, crown dropping on the floor.

Soobin coughed blood on his palms, and stood weakly to help him, but Taehyun glared back at the former, "Save the others!"

"But-"

"Go!" Taehyun yelled, holding both of Beomgyu's arms as he pinned him tighter against the window.

Mustering up all his strength, Soobin leapt off the cliff to help his stranded classmates. When Taehyun hears his voice below commanding the Evers, he turned away from Beomgyu to make sure his prince was safe.

Beomgyu took the chance and jerked his head back hard, hitting Taehyun's temple and forcefully pulling his arms free. Taehyun staggered back, dazed, and he clutched onto the wall to regain his lost balance.

"You forgot the lessons I taught you? How funny. You used to pay attention to me but now you seem to forget everything."

Taehyun watched him pick up the crown, and put it upside down on his head, pointed spires grazing over his face.

"But it doesn't matter now. Because Lady Wheein was right." Beomgyu turned to face him. "You get stronger as I get weaker. You win as I lose."

Taehyun swallowed the lump in his throat, not wanting to believe.

"You're my Nemesis, Taehyun."

Taehyun's breath hitched.

Beomgyu stepped towards him.

"Do you know how I know?"

His face darkened with sadness.

"Because I'll only be happy once you're dead."

~

Through the halls of Honor, Jungkook, San and Bangchan were throwing open faculty doors, as screams and thunder echoed from four flights down.

"The Crown was given!" Jungkook yelled, frustrated, "Where are they?"

The three boys ran around the corner and stopped dead on their tracks.

Professor Seokjin, Professor Moon, and Princess Yongsun were all frozen in midrun, mouth wide open as if they were ambushed by a spell just as they dashed for the stair room.

"Kook, look at that . . . "

Jungkook followed San's eyes out the hall window.

On Halfway Bridge, lightning lit up Lady Wheein, Professor Hyejin, and Professor Yoongi. They too had been frozen with the same startled expressions.

"Can we revive them?" Bangchan asked, paling.

"I don't think so." San answered, tapping on Professor Moon's skin which made a thin, hollow sound.

"Petrification." Jungkook said, remembering Wheein's class. "Only the one who cast the spell can reverse it."

"But _who_ would do such thing?" Bangchan croaked.

"Someone who doesn't want teachers interfering." San said.

All three of them turned to the silver tower over the bay, shivers running down their spines.

"That means . . . " Bangchan drones.

" . . . We're on our own." Jungkook finished.

~

On a stormy marble island raised above the demolished foyer, Taehyun faced off alone against Beomgyu.

"We don't have to be enemies, Beomgyu." Taehyun begged, desperately trying to ignite his finger behind his back.

"This is your fault!" Beomgyu accused, eyes sparkling with angry tears, "You made me like this. You took everything from me!"

Taehyun saw Soobin and the Evers crawling through rubble on his peripheral view, all of them convulsing with pain and fear. Lightning striked outside the towers, and he saw Nevers watching them with the same expressions from towers across the Bay.

Taehyun's heart hammered in his chest. It was all up to him now.

He took a deep breath, recalling the times he managed to calm Beomgyu down back then. He knows that he's still the safe space of the Never; knows that deep inside, his friend is still there, lost in the depths of darkness but still there.

He just have to bring him back.

"Please Beomie." Taehyun pleaded, feeling his finger burn hot, "We both can find a happy ending here, together."

" _Here?_ " Beomgyu scoffed, "What happened to going home, Hyunnie?"

Taehyun stiffened.

"Ah I see." Beomgyu smirked, "Now you have a Ball to attend to. Now you have a _prince_. Now you don't need me anymore."

"I just wanted to be friends, Beomie." Taehyun said, eyes welling. "That's all I ever asked. That's all I ever wanted. Not any of this. So please, come back to me."

"We were friends, Taehyun!" Beomgyu yelled "I got your back, you got mine. I did everything to have Soobin! I did everything to get us back home! You have absolutely no idea what I had to lose just for the two of us to be together again." At this time, his tears were streaming down his face, "You have no idea how much I prevented myself to be like this. For you! Because you're my friend! But you left me behind with nothing but _betrayal_."

"Beomgyu, I'm sorry! I-I didn't know-"

"And you didn't care!" Beomgyu roared, and thunder cracked behind them, "You know what, I don't think you really wanted us to be friends." He glowered, veins on his neck visible, "I think you wanted _me_ to be the uglier one."

The skin under his eyes cracked further, and a patch fell, revealing rotten skin. 

Taehyun felt his finger lost its glow as shock overwhelmed him, "Beomie, stop doing this to yourself." He attempted to soothe.

"You wanted me to be Evil." Beomgyu growled, hands morphing to claws as he stepped towards the Ever, who retreated until his back was against the window.

"You can be Good, Beomgyu!" Taehyun cried, thunder drowning his voice.

"You wanted me to be the witch." Beomgyu said, grabbing Taehyun by the throat and lifting him up with one arm.

"B-beomgyu please . . . " Taehyun choked, clawing at the other's arm as his feet dangle outside the window.

"Well, dear friend . . . " Taehyun's eyes were misted with tears but despite that, he could see the tears flowing from Beomgyu's eyes, dark red orbs filled with sadness and pain, " . . Wish granted."

" _No!_ " 

Beomgyu threw Taehyun into the storm.

Taehyun plummeted into the air towards the shining Bridge and instant death. From the distance, he heard Soobin screamed.

A fairy flung himself under and caught Taehyun with life-draining will, safely bringing him down on the flooded stone. Yongbok looked up at Taehyun of Ttukseom, thanking him for all the Good he had done.

And as the fairy took his last breaths, Taehyun breathed in his first, heart shattering for the dead soul in his wet palms.

Lightning lit up the tower, and Taehyun slowly looked up to the shattered window, tearful eyes meeting the other's glaring ones. Taehyun felt guilt gnawing his insides and his heart clenching in pain.

But Beomgyu was seething with hate. Across the Bay, he saw Nevers staring at him, chilled to the bone. He turned to Soobin and the Evers, huddled and trembling with fear. He caught sight of Jungkook, San, and Bangchan on the stairs, gaping at him in terror.

Thunder roared and his heart echoed the sound as he looked at the remains of the glass window.

He took in his reflection, drenched hair completely black and a gleaming crown resting upside down on his head. His face was cracking like a vase and rotten skin was showing underneath.

For a moment, Beomgyu froze.

Until everything dawned on him.

_"Ugliness means you trust your soul. Ugliness means freedom."_ Said a professor he despised.

_Freedom_.

A smile crept on his chapped lips and a strange feeling of relief washed over him; as if the mask he created had completely vanished and he could finally see beyond his reflection.

_"You know what your heart yearns for anyway."_ Said the School Master.

Beomgyu's heart pounded with a rhythm only he knows, and then he laughed. A laughter for freedom, a laughter that unchained his soul.

He threw his head back, holding onto his stomach as he unleashed a horrible cackle that promised Evil, beautiful Evil that things were about to change.

Then he looked down at Taehyun with a murderous grin, before sweeping his cape of snakes around and he vanished into night.


	16. Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What a waste of effort."

"Where do we even find him?" Jungkook gritted, sprinting past petrified Taehyung and Yeontan through Mischief hall.

"Does he have a secret base or something? When we kicked him out?" Bangchan followed.

"I don't know! Ya know I hated his guts." Jungkook snarled.

Bangchan rolled his eyes, "And look where that got us."

They turned the corner and slammed into Hongjoong and One-Eyed.

"What's going on?" Hongjoong panted.

"Go to yer rooms!" Jungkook commanded, "And don't come out!"

Both of the Nevers flee to their rooms and locked the doors. Jungkook and Bangchan ran around the halls, yelling to every villain they see to stay in their rooms, most of them listening to the tattooed boy.

"They're not listening to me. Am I a henchman?" Bangchan frowned, "Then we wouldn't be in the same classes next year."

"If there's even a school left!" Jungkook snapped.

"On the bright side, we wouldn't need to do any homework." Bangchan said, heaving breaths.

Jungkook stopped suddenly, and glared at the other, "Chan, we're not prepared for a real witch! We're first years!"

"It's _Beomgyu._ " Bangchan said, "The boy who likes clothes and lavender-"

"And the boy who threw his friend out the window!" Jungkook exclaimed.

"Kook, we don't know the whole story behind him. But I know something." Bangchan explains, "Villains have a reason, a purpose. Don't you think he's doing this because he's sad and alone?"

Jungkook remained silent.

"Every villain wants a happy ending of their own. Don't you think he wants the same?"

At that, Jungkook sighed, "I guess I could understand that. But our lives are in danger as well. Until we find him and got him under control, everyone here wouldn't be safe."

Bangchan nodded in understanding, "Let's go. Maybe San found him."

After clearing the halls of Malice, the two boys trudged to Room 66, dragging their feet in exhaustion. When they opened the door, they found their roommate reclining against bunched-up clothes.

Jungkook glared at San, "Did you even looked for Beomgyu?"

"I didn't need to." San stretched, "He's going to come here."

"What?" Bangchan exclaimed.

" _Here_?" Jungkook scoffed, "How the heck would you know that?"

San pointed to the air, and Jungkook and Bangchan turned to see the bony parrot swinging on the noosed clothes.

Jungkook looked at San as if the other was crazy, "Yer telling me that _his pet_ told ya? What if that's a _trick_!"

"A trick! A trick!" The parrot repeated.

"Look, at this point, only that parrot has an idea on where Beomgyu is. So I suggest for you to listen and wait until he comes to us."

~

In the School for Good, Soobin and Mingi stood guard outside the Valor Common Rooms, shirts ripped and bloodied, arms scratched and tensed. Inside, everyone took comfort in their Ball dates' arms as Hueningkai and Jisung tend to them with bandages and vials. By the time the sun rose, they too were asleep.

Only Taehyun didn't dare rest, curled in a chair. He thought of the boy who once dragged him out to play ball games and took him to walks; the boy who fought with him and supported his dreams; the boy he considered as his friend and gravity.

Tears uncontrollably flowed from his eyes.

That boy was gone.

And a witch replaced him.

A witch who would hunt him until he's dead.

He choked back a sob, and silently wept on his arms.

He couldn't help but think it was his fault. If only he hadn't let his heart in control, this wouldn't have happened. If only he hadn't chosen the prince-

He felt a hand caressing his back and he looked up, red-rimmed eyes meeting Soobin's tired ones.

"Hey. I know what you're thinking." The prince starts, "And I'm here to tell you that it's not your fault. You have absolutely no control over what happened to him."

Taehyun stared at his prince as the other wiped away his tears with his thumb, heart stuck on his throat.

"It's unfortunate that this happened, but you two are polar opposites. And it's bound to happen at some point." Soobin took the other's shaking hands into his, and looked at him with eyes so gentle that Taehyun felt himself calm down. "But don't worry, I'll protect you. That's a promise I intend to keep."

Taehyun smiled at the prince and nodded. Then Soobin left to resume his guard outside the doors.

With his heart lighter than before, he looked through the window, seeing the Bridge. In the early dawn light, he could see the petrified teachers, and the frozen wave underneath. Then his eyes traveled to the silver tower.

This was no accident, this wasn't a mistake. All of this is part of the School Master's plan, a plan to put his two readers at war.

_But whose side was he on?_

He frowned.

If only the School Master hadn't took them away from their homes, then this wouldn't happen, he wouldn't need to fight his best friend.

But still came the thought that if he wasn't here, then he wouldn't know who he truly is, he wouldn't have met his prince.

Taehyun pulled on his hair in frustration, mind on a tightrope between Soobin and Beomgyu.

~

In Room 66, the parrot hadn't stopped squawking all morning, waking the three Nevers in the room.

"Trick and treat! Trick and treat! Trick and treat!"

By the afternoon, Jungkook had enough of it.

He ripped his demon out of his arm and the demon flew for the bird, tackling it on the floor by it's neck. Jungkook picked it up by its legs as the tattoo returned on his arm.

"Where's Beomgyu?" He hissed.

The bird only flapped its bony wings, attempting to escape but Jungkook held it firmly and he started shaking the animal.

"Easy, Kook. You might kill it." San warned.

"I definitely would if it doesn't tell us where-"

"Come." The parrot squawked.

"When?" Jungkook asked.

"Wait." The parrot said.

"What?"

"Come and wait! Come and wait!" The parrot annoyingly chirped.

"Ya little-"

The knob turned and all three boys dove under their beds.

"Toto?"

Beomgyu walked in, slipping off his black cape and hanging it on the door hook; before taking off the Crown and putting it on the bed.

"Toto, where are you?"

He stomped around the room, dark red eyes scanning the obviously used beds.

Beomgyu crouched and peeked under one, and the three boys immediately tackled him from behind.

"Get his wrists!" Jungkook yelled as he tied Beomgyu's legs to the bedpost using the fabrics. San secured Beomgyu's wrists over his head, while Bangchan tied Toto on its legs and hang it upside down on the dangling ropes from the ceiling.

Beomgyu frowned, and didn't fought back, "Have you forgotten that I'm on your side?"

"We're all on the same side against ya." Jungkook hissed, "Ya shouldn't do more harm to any of us, so we're having ya under control."

"Why do you have the impression that I would harm my own kind?" Beomgyu questioned, "I admire the thought but I'm telling you, Good is _not_ on your side."

In the light, they saw Beomgyu's face with more cracks, revealing dark dead skin.

"Until we figure out how to revive the teachers, yer not going anywhere." Jungkook said, hiding shaking hands behind his back.

"You think you can keep me here? Be my guest." Beomgyu shrugged, "But just know that I forgive all of you."

"We're not asking for yer forgiveness." Jungkook replied, signaling San and Bangchan to leave. San grabbed Beomgyu's cape off the hook.

"You'll come back to me."

They slowly turned to Beomgyu, who smiled to reveal missing teeth.

"You'll need me."

They shuddered and quickly shut the door behind them.

"This is useless." Beomgyu sighs, making his finger glow before he mogrified into a snake, slipping from the binds before he turned back to normal.

He stood up and untied his pet parrot, letting Toto rest on his left arm as he feed it with dead bugs.

"Good job Toto." Beomgyu said, caressing the bird's bony head, "Good job keeping them in here. Now let's see."

He opened his closet and pulled out boxes of fabric, then stole San's sewing kit and threads. Toto then flew to sit on his shoulder.

"Good job! Good job!" The bird chirped.

Beomgyu chuckled, "I appreciate that, but I still got work to do. Being a villain could be very tiring."

_CRACK!_

Beomgyu turned to the door.

_CRACK! THUMP!_

Outside, San was hammering boards and locks onto the door, while Jungkook and Bangchan barred it with statues and benches from the hall.

Jungkook caught Nevers peeking out of their rooms, "STAY INSIDE!" He yelled, and their doors closed.

Inside, Beomgyu was humming along to the hammer, watching a needle magically sew under his lit finger. "They'll just have to undo it later." He shook his head, remembering the last time someone locked him in his room back in his old ordinary world.

"What a waste of effort."

~

When the early evening came, the Evers grew restless and began to venture in groups to bathe. Then they proceeded to the Supper Hall, where enchanted pots from the kitchen continued to cook food, despite the petrified nymphs around them. It was a quiet dinner, with no one having the courage to speak up or even break the silence.

Taehyun tries to meet Soobin's eyes, but the prince had been chewing on his food miserably. He looked so tired and Taehyun was starting to worry. When Soobin did managed to look back at him, the prince forced a tired smile. It didn't help at all.

"Uh . . . " Yunho started, raising his hand up, "Good Hall is still okay if any of you wanted to know."

Ninety-nine heads turned to look at him.

Yunho gulped, suddenly conscious of the attention, "So uh, if we still wanted to have our um . . ." He hesitated, "Ball."

Everyone was staring at him.

"Or not." Yunho mumbled, scooping another spoonful of food into his mouth.

The deafening silence returned.

After a while, Jisung put his spoon down.

"We did spent all this time preparing."

"And we have time to get ready." Jennie exclaimed.

"I'll sort the music then." Jisoo said.

"I'll go check the hall." Hyunjin said.

"Everyone get dressed!" Hueningkai hailed, and with a cheer, everyone leapt to their feet in excitement.

"Let me get this straight." Taehyun's voice ripped through the cheers, "The wolves and fairies are dead, the teachers are cursed, half the school is in ruins, there's a murderer on the loose, and you guys want to have a Ball?"

"We can't give in to the witch." Mingi shot back.

"Besides, the teachers would be proud of us for initiating the tradition." Jisung said.

"He wants to ruin our Ball, and we wouldn't give that to him, won't we?" Hueningkai argued, and the Evers roared in agreement.

"Can everyone shut up!"

The room went silent, and they turned to Soobin, still seated.

"Taehyun's right. We can't have a Ball now." Soobin said as the Evers slumped their shoulders in despair. Taehyun exhaled relief and meets Soobin's eyes, which were looking at him with a newfound determination. "You know what I think we should do?" He turned away from Taehyun and hardened his jaw, "I'd say we should find the witch and _kill him_ first."

Taehyun glared at his prince and clenched his fists as the Evers burst into a chant-

" _Kill the witch! Kill the witch!_ "

"Are you crazy? He's my _f_ _riend_." Taehyun shouted.

"He's a threat to everyone!" Hueningkai yelled, and the Evers responded with agreement.

Soobin stood and faced the cherry red-haired Ever, "Taehyun, we talked about this. He put our lives in danger, most especially yours. We have to kill him, before he kills you, before he kills us."

"You think he's just waiting for us?" Taehyun flared, "You think you can just stroll into Evil and kill a _real witch_?"

The chatters ceased.

"What do you mean 'real' witch?" Hueningkai asked, forehead creased.

Yunho's eyes widen in understanding, "So the Storian really did started your fairy tale . . ."

Taehyun nodded and the room burst into nervous titters.

"We don't know who controls these fairy tales." He said over them, "We have no idea if the School Master is Good or Evil, or if the Woods is still balanced." Taehyun swallowed the lump in his throat, as if what he was about to say was something he still couldn't quite digest, "All we know is that Beomgyu wants me dead and would kill anyone in his way. So I say we should just go back to Valor and wait for his next move."

Everyone's eyes shifted to Soobin, who was frowning at him.

"I'd say we attack him before he does. Who knows what the witch might do."

"He's my friend." Taehyun defended.

"And you said it yourself. Your 'friend' wants to kill you. You think I would just sit here and wait for that to happen? No! I'm the Captain of this school; therefore it is my duty to protect its students, it is my duty to protect you."

Eyes shifted between him and his prince.

"Soobin, do you trust me?" Taehyun said softly, looking straight into Soobin's eyes.

The silence thickened as the question hung in the air, until the prince broke the eye contact and looked away, "Back to Valor." He mumbled.

The Evers obeyed his orders and sullenly cleared their plates and moved out.

"Thank you-" Taehyun started.

"It's obvious that he doesn't care about your friendship the moment he threw you out the window, and yet here you are, still defending him." Soobin lashed, gritting his teeth, "But I'm telling you this Taehyun: at the moment I find out his plans of harming you, or any of our classmates, I wouldn't hesitate to end him. Whether he's your friend or not."

Taehyun let the other storm out of the hall. And Hueningkai met the prince at the door, "Let's sneak into Evil, Binnie! We'll kill the witch together."

"Do as you're told." Soobin seethed, and shoved past him.

Hueningkai watched him go, cheeks flushed in embarrassment. Until an idea came into his mind. And while the Evers moped back into their Valor prison, he dashed towards the castle's entrance.

~

Jungkook woke up to the castle in darkness and the Belfry tolling eight. He removed a _Curse Reversal_ book from his face and glanced at Bangchan and San, who were sleeping beside each other and leaning at the furnitures barring their room. Jungkook looked over them and saw that the door hadn't been disturbed.

He was about to slouch back when he saw something moving at the end of the hall.

Alerted, Jungkook climbed the mess of furnitures, and dashed to the stairwell, quickly and quietly. He saw three hunched shadows sneaking down the stairs before they disappear into a hall, then he saw shadows moving from upstairs.

Jungkook waited behind the banister until the shadows got close enough, then he sparked the stairway torch. Only to see Hongjoong, One-Eyed, and Green-Skinned.

"Why aren't you in your rooms!" Jungkook yelled.

"We were going to help you!" Green-Skinned said.

"We want to fight back!" Hongjoong said.

"What are you talking about?"

Then he saw what was in their hands.

The two Nevers were dreaming when Jungkook kicked them awake.

"Look at this." Jungkook held up a black card inked with ghostly white script.

Nσɯ Gσσԃ ƈσɱҽʂ ƚσ ƙιʅʅ υʂ αʅʅ

Bҽƈαυʂҽ ɯҽ'ʋҽ ɾυιɳҽԃ ƚԋҽιɾ Ⴆҽαυƚιϝυʅ Bαʅʅ

Bυƚ ԃҽαɾ Nҽʋҽɾʂ, ɯҽ'ʅʅ ԋαʋҽ συɾ ɾҽʋҽɳɠҽ

Aɾɾιʋҽ αƚ 8ρɱ ιɳ ƚԋҽ Eʋιʅ Hαʅʅ

"What revenge?" Bangchan said groggily.

"We don't know any revenge!" Jungkook shouted.

"You don't think . . . " San said.

Instantly, the scrambled for the stairs.

"How did he get out?" San said, almost jumping the steps in hurry.

"He must've did it before he came!" Jungkook said back, hearing the bell toll half-past eight in the distance.

"He is so good with pranks." Bangchan commented, "What do you think the revenge will be?"

"More ravens?" San said.

"Fall to death?" Jungkook said.

"I sure hope no one's dead." Bangchan said.

They sprinted through the stair room, past Supper Hall, until they saw the skull-carved doors at the far end of the school. Jungkook flung the black invitation away as he pushed open the doors, ready for carnage-

But what they saw knocked the air out of their lungs.

" _This_ is the revenge?" Jungkook said, heart clenching as his eyes well with tears.

Outside the hall, a small bunny scampered from behind the stairs to the card that Jungkook dropped. He picked it up between his teeth before hopping back to find his master.

~

Slumped against the wall in the Valor Common Room, Taehyun tried to keep his eyes open, but they drooped heavier and heavier until he toppled back and arms caught him. He looked up and squinted only to see Soobin in his undershirt, as the prince moved to sit next to him.

"You can sleep. I'm here now."

"I know you're upset with me."

"Shh." He said, guiding Taehyun's head to lean on his shoulder, "No more arguing."

Taehyun heaved a breath as he closed his eyes to finally get some rest.

But the common room doors slammed open.

"Binnie!"

Hueningkai bursted in, waking the Evers. Soobin looked at the brown-haired prince with annoyance.

"They're coming!" Hueningkai said and he showed him the black card as Taehyun sat up straight, "They're coming to kill us."

Soobin read the white script, veins protuding from his neck and his body tensed. "I knew it!" Taehyun tried to look at the writings but the prince lunged to his feet.

"ATTENTION!"

Evers sat up at once.

"At this very moment, the villains are planning revenge on our school. All the Nevers are joining Beomgyu, and our only hope is to attack them, before they come for us. We charge at nine o'clock!"

Taehyun turned to his prince in shock.

"Prepare for war!" Soobin roared, marching to the doors.

"War!" Mingi yelled as the Evers followed them through the halls.

Dazed, Taehyun picked up the fallen card and read it. Panic crept in his system and he dashed for the door.

"No! _Don't attack_!"

Just as he reached the hallway, a foot was thrust in his path and he tripped. Taehyun bumped against the wall and blacked out.

"Oops." Hueningkai said, before following the others.

~

Taehyun opened his eyes to a deserted hall and a searing headache.

He clutched on his head as he stood up and followed the footsteps through the hall leading to the Honor tower. And when he got near enough, he could hear the sounds of what only seemed like swords on stone. 

He peeked into the room and saw Everboys sharpening real blades, arrows, axes and chains that they probably stole from the Armory.

In another room, he saw Evergirls preparing as well; making combat clothes and practicing shooting darts and throwing stones.

As he walked by more rooms, Taehyun could see more students in preparation, and dread flooded his stomach. Then he quickened his pace to find the prince he was looking for, and found him in the last room with Mingi and two other boys, hunched over a hand-drawn map.

"How do you know that's where Evil Hall is?" Mingi questioned.

"It's just a guess." Soobin answered, "Taehyun probably knows because he had been in that school but I can't find him. Can you tell Hueningkai to search for him again?"

"No need."

The boys turned to Taehyun.

"Hey! We need your help." Soobin smiled.

"I won't give it."

Soobin was taken aback, and his face flushed with surprise.

"Taehyun, they're going to kill us if we don't do anything."

" _Now Good comes to kill us all._ " Taehyun retorted as he waved the black card, "Evil's not attacking us. Beomgyu wants _you_ to attack them!"

"For once, that witch and I agree on something." Soobin said, "Are you with me or not?"

"I'm not going to let you go, Soobin. You're leading everyone to their graves."

"Don't make this hard, Taehyun."

The clock struck nine o'clock.

The boys nervously looked between Taehyun and Soobin, waiting for the final verdict as the tower bells rang.

In the silence, Taehyun saw the doubt in Soobin's eyes and he knew that he won. But when he tried reaching for the taller's hand, Soobin yanked it away and glowered at him.

The last toll of the bell ceased.

"We charge now!" He screamed, and roars exploded through the hall.

The three other boys ran to lead the troops, and Soobin grabbed his map and went for the door. But Taehyun blocked his way.

Soobin pulled the other by the waist, "Taehyun, do you trust me?"

Taehyun sighed in annoyance, "Of course I do, but-"

"Then Good." Soobin smiled, and before Taehyun could process what the prince had meant, Soobin had already pushed him further inside the room and slammed the door shut.

"I'm sorry." Soobin said while barring the door with an arrow, "But I'm your prince and I'm going to protect you."

"I'm your prince too!" Taehyun pounded on the door. "Soobin, no! He'll kill all of you!"

Through the door crack, he saw his prince leading the Good army to war, armed with torches and weapons while chanting; _"Kill the witch! Kill the witch!"_

Panic consumed him and his blood ran cold. He had to get to the School for Evil before Soobin and his army does. But what could he do to save them?

_"Only when your Nemesis is dead will you feel quenched",_ Lady Wheein had said.

Tears welled in Taehyun's eyes.

He had already made a decision.

_So this is where it leads to . . ._

Give himself to Beomgyu and no one else would die.

Let the witch win.

It's the only happy ending left.


	17. Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "That's not what you are!"

Taehyun pounded and kicked the door, then picked up a desk and rammed against it, but the door didn't budge, it didn't even break and not a single scratch could be found. He made his finger glow, but none of the spells he knew worked; mogrification was out of the option as the castle still has the teacher's anti-mogrif spells casted. And he was left with one choice.

Dripping with sweat, Taehyun looked out the window. His white shoes found the ledge as he grabbed on the window sill. As the cold night breeze blew over his skin, he found the string of gold lights that the fairies have hung for the Ball, draping across the towers. He pulled on the strings gently, trying to see if it could hold him for long. And when he concluded that it could, he took a deep breath and swung himself out the window and spun around above the ridge.

He carefully looked down when he managed to stop spinning, and saw that he was so up high the Halfway Bridge that the teachers on it looked like beetles. Through the glass castle, he could see torches flooding down from the Honor Tower towards the Tunnel of Trees. He only had a few minutes before the Good army would storm right into Evil's hands.

Taehyun exhaled, trying to soothe his racing heart when he felt like he was slowly going down. He looked up and saw the string of lights stretch from his weight. Eyes widening, he quickly searched for some place to land or some thing to grab onto, but he was too high off the ground.

A strong gust of wind passed by and something whizzed by his cheek. He immediately grabbed onto it as the string snapped, and he saw that it was an arrow.

Dangling from it, Taehyun looked back in shock, just in time for another arrow to miss his other cheek. Then more arrows came flying out of darkness towards him and he closed his eyes as he awaits for the one to pierce him. But the whizzing stopped.

Taehyun opened his eyes and looked down. The arrows were plunged deep onto the walls in a haphazard way like a foot ladder, leading him all the way down the Bridge. He didn't question if it was meant to kill him or it was just luck, and instead, he ran past the petrified teachers and looked for the barrier that never came.

As Soobin and his army arrived at the Clearing, only to find Good's and Evil's Tunnels magically entwined and impassable, Taehyun had safely crossed into the villain's lair.

High over him, in Malice's window, Beomgyu put down his bow.

"Trick and treat! Trick and treat!"

Beomgyu chuckled and caressed the bird's neck, "Won't be long now, Toto."

He peered out at Soobin's army marching around the moat, and then at Taehyun, vanishing into Evil alone.

Then he went back to humming as he sew, like a puppet master gleefully pulling strings.

~

Taehyun expected to be captured the moment he stepped foot in Evil, but as he crept through the foyer, he saw no guards, no traps, and no signs of war. The School for Evil was unsettingly quiet, save for iron doors creaking open and shut somewhere from the stair room. He took a peek inside them and found the Swan Theater; his eyes landing on the stone stage where a crowned witch was depicted, screaming and surrounded by ravens. Shuddering, Taehyun crept up the stairs towards Evil Hall.

_But dear Nevers, we'll have our revenge . ._ . 

Taehyun wondered what would Beomgyu make the Nevers do to him? He thought of all the worst villains from fairy tales and their vengeance. Turn him to stone? Chop him up and cook him? Cut out his heart? Fill his insides with rocks?

Taehyun felt sweat running down his face as he followed the hundreds of footprints.

_No backing out now._

He took a deep breath before breaking into a run and thoughts suddenly flooded his mind. He thought of Soobin and the Evers and how he would put a stop to the incoming war. He thought of his own Ever After slipping from his fingertips for others'. He thought of Beomgyu; and how he wished that someday in a different world, a world without Good and Evil to separate them, a world without pain, they would be together watching another sunset.

He charged towards the skull-carved doors and pushed them open with force, ready to face torture and death. But what he saw made him lose his breath.

Evil Hall had been transformed into a magnificent ballroom, decorated with thousands of green-flamed candles, black balloons, and a spinning chandelier that glazed the wall murals with emerald bursts of light. Hongjoong and San stumbled through a waltz, Bangchan danced with Green-Skinned, and Jungkook was munching on carrot cupcakes near the buffet. Hongjoong's bunkmates were playing instruments as more pairs flooded the dance floor.

The Nevers were clumsy, bashful, but they were glowing with happiness underneath a banner that says:

**THE 1ST ANNUAL VILLAINS**

**"NO BALL"**

Taehyun felt tears prickle his eyes and the music stopped.

He wiped his eyes to see the Nevers staring at him. The couples moving apart from each other and their faces reddened with shame.

"What is he doing here?" Hongjoong spat.

"He'll tell the Evers!" One-Eyed said.

"Get him!" Green-Skinned called.

"I'll handle this." said a voice.

Jungkook stepped out of the crowd and moved towards Taehyun.

"Jungkook, listen-"

"What are ya doing here, Taehyun? This is a villain's party. And ye're not a villain." Jungkook said, stepping towards the red-haired, which only stepped back.

"Please don't hurt m-"

"I think there's only one thing left to do." Jungkook said, shadow hovering above Taehyun.

Taehyun looked down, "Die?"

"No. Stay."

Taehyun jerked his head up and looked at him, startled. The Nevers had their eyes wide as they stared at the tattooed boy.

"But he's-" Hongjoong protested.

"My guest." Jungkook said, offering Taehyun a smile, "Unlike Dream Balls, No Balls have no rules whatsoever."

Taehyun shook his head, tears flowing from his eyes and Jungkook touched his shoulder in an attempt to soothe.

"We found the Hall like this. I think he just wanted us to have what he couldn't. We thought that maybe this is his way of saying sorry." Jungkook said, draping an arm over Taehyun's shoulders, "Now come on, I don't know where it came from but the cupcakes are delicious."

"I'm sorry." Taehyun sobbed.

"What are ya sorry for? I should be the one sorry because I threw ya in a sewer." Jungkook said as he guided Taehyun towards one of the buffet tables, "But I've learned that we all make mistakes. And we'll fix them, won't we? Evers and Nevers alike. Both schools working together."

Taehyun didn't answer as he was crying so much that his body shook.

Jungkook stopped walking and tensed up, "What's wrong?"

"I tried." Taehyun gasped, "I tried to stop them."

"What? Stop who?"

" _KILL THE VILLAINS! NEVERS DIE!"_

Jungkook turned to where the sound came from. The Nevers gathered to the giant windows and looked out into the night. Down the steep hill, the Good army marched around the moat, weapons glinting in the torchlights as they shouted the chants.

Taehyun watched as the glow in the villains' faces died and they shrank back into their shells. He felt the wind chime in through the windows and blew out the candles, leaving the Hall dark and cold.

"So ya came to warn us. And yer prince comes to kill us." Jungkook said, voice low as he gazed at the mob, "So much for wanting _love_."

"You don't have to fight them. Let them what I have seen. Let them see the truth!" Taehyun persuaded.

Jungkook turned at him, eyes glaring and dark, "And then what? So they can laugh at us and remind us of what we are? Ugly, unworthy, losers?"

"That's not what you are!"

"Ya know _nothing_ about us!" He snarled. He had returned to the dangerous boy that he once was.

"We're all the same, Jungkook! We all just want to find love!" Taehyun begged, "Show them the truth! Show them that all you want is to be happy too. It's the only way."

"Yes, there is only one way." Jungkook said, gritting his teeth. " _Free the witch_."

"No!" Taehyun's eyes widen, "It's what he wants!"

Jungkook scoffed, "And remind our prince here what happens when fair lads go where they don't belong."

Taehyun screamed as the shadows of villains overwhelmed him.

~

High above, in a rotted tower, a mob of fifty Nevers shoved aside the last piece of furniture and ripped the final board out of Room 66. With a loud roar, they kicked down its door and recoiled in shock.

A silhouette sitting cross-legged with a bony parrot on its long, sharp fingers; dressed in a light blue shirt tucked into dark pants, with a dark blue tie around his neck.

"Let me guess."

He looked at them with his glowing red eyes, and the glinting Circus Crown resting on his head; before he smiled to reveal blackened gums.

"Our party has _unexpected guests."_

~

Taehyun's eyes flashed open when he felt ice cold; and he found himself lying on his back inside a frosted glass coffin. He saw dozens of blurry silhouettes around him and he panicked when he realized that he couldn't move his body.

He wasn't in a glass, he was in ice.

He tried to inhale but he only gagged, his cheeks turning blue from the lack of air and his eyes bulged with horror. He saw the shadows parting and a figure stood nearer. It brushed his palms along the ice and Taehyun had a clearer view on who it was.

Beomgyu, face cracking and rotten, smiled down at him, a Doom Room axe in his hands. Taehyun's eyes pleaded with mercy and he heaved his dying breaths. Beomgyu gazed at him through ice and ran his fingers over Taehyun's entombed face. When he raised the axe, Taehyun forcefully closed his eyes and a tear escape.

The axe smashed through the ice and shattered the tomb, barely reaching Taehyun's face by a hair's breadth as he plunged onto the wet floor and panted for air.

"That's not a very nice way to treat a guest, Jungkook. How could you freeze a poor prince?" Beomgyu sighed.

"It was you- the arrows-" Taehyun stammered, looking up at the witch, "You brought me here to kill me."

"Kill you? How offending. You think I could do that?"

"You threw me out the window!" Taehyun yelled.

"Fair enough." Beomgyu exhaled, melting the axe away with a glowing finger, "Sure, Taehyun. I want to hurt you. I want to cause you pain. But I couldn't really do that." He looked over at Taehyun's pink clothing, and smiled at his friend, "I know what I did. But wouldn't you have done the same to me if I took everything that was yours?"

Taehyun stood up and took a step away from him.

"But I guess I figured things out the hard way." Beomgyu said as he watched the other, "This is your fairy tale, Taehyun. Either we can end it as enemies, or friends."

"Friends?" Taehyun asked, heart racing in his chest. 

"I know that the School Master said it was impossible, and maybe we believed for it to be true. But how could someone like him understand us?" Beomgyu said, skin cracking on his neck.

Taehyun's face winced with obvious disgust.

"I know I'm ugly now. But I can be happy here, Taehyun. I swear. We are where we belong, right? You're Good, and I'm Evil." His eyes drifted around the decorated Hall, "Yet look, Evil can also be beautiful."

Torchlight flooded the windows, and San looked out in alarm, "Beomgyu, the Evers are at the gates!"

"You said you wanted revenge. What are you planning to do?" Taehyun said, quivering.

"It's a trick. How else to make Good come here and show them that all we wanted was a Ball of our own?" Beomgyu said, voice tinged with sadness.

"They're coming Beomgyu!" Bangchan shouted as they hear the Evers ramming the castle doors.

"How about we end all of this now, Taehyun?" Beomgyu said, taking off the Crown from his head and throwing it on the floor.

Taehyun's eyes widen as he saw the other's curled fist.

"What's that on your hand?" Taehyun questions, stepping back again.

"HE'S UPSTAIRS!" The Evers had broken in.

"Taehyun." Beomgyu said, stepping towards him with his fist clenched tight.

"KILL THE WITCH!" The Evers yelled as they stormed up the stairs.

Beomgyu reached out his spotted and wrinkly fist, skin cracking.

"My best friend . . . My Nemesis . . ."

Taehyun cringed, and Beomgyu unfurled his empty palm.

Before he sank to one knee.

"Will you dance with me?"

Taehyun lost his breath and his eyes went wide.

_BOOM!_ Evers bashed the hall doors.

"Beomgyu, what the heck are ya doing!" Jungkook screamed.

"Let's show them that it's over." Beomgyu said as he held out his hand to Taehyun.

The doors splintered.

"Beomgyu, they'll kill us all!" Jungkook yelled.

Beomgyu kept his hand out. "A dance for peace and a happy ending, Hyunnie."

Stiffened, Taehyun looked at Beomgyu's face as the locks shattered.

"On three!" They heard Soobin shout.

"Please save me." Beomgyu gazed up at Taehyun with his wide eyes, "It's me, Hyunnie. Can't you see me?"

Shuddering, Taehyun searched his ugly face.

" _One!_ "

"Taehyun please . . . "

Taehyun racked his brain as he looked into the other's dark red orbs, searching for the old friend he used to have underneath the witch's face.

"Please Hyun . . . Please don't let me die as a villain."

Taehyun blinked and he all he saw is the witch.

"You are Evil-"

"And the Good forgive."

Taehyun froze.

"Aren't you Good?"

" _Two!"_

Taehyun gazed at the witch and he saw the brown orbs of his old friend.

Taehyun clasped the other's hand.

Beomgyu smiled as he pulled him into his bony arms and glided onto a waltz across the floor. With Jungkook's frantic cue, Hongjoong's bunk mates played out a sappy love song.

"You are Good." Beomgyu whispered, resting his chin on the other's shoulder.

"I won't let them hurt you." Taehyun replied as he held Beomgyu tighter.

Beomgyu hummed, "I wish I could say the same though."

Taehyun looked at him, and Beomgyu smiled darkly.

" _Three!_ "

Soobin smashed through the doors at the charge of his army, and he raised his sword over Beomgyu's back.

" _Death to the wi-_ "

Beomgyu twirled to him, Taehyun in his arms. Soobin dropped his sword.

"Poor Binnie." Beomgyu said, silencing the music, "Every time he finds his prince, turns out they're a witch."

Soobin looked at Taehyun, stunned. "You're with . . . _him_?"

"He's lying! I can explain!" Taehyun cried, trying to break free from Beomgyu's grip.

But Beomgyu held him tighter by the waist and pulled him closer. "How do you think he would survive his fall on the Bridge? Why do you think he tried to stop your attack?" Beomgyu said, rotten lips hovering over Taehyun's. He let himself feel the other's shaky breath against his lips before he smiled mockingly and turned to the prince, "Oh Binnie, I'm afraid your Ball date is also _mine_."

Beomgyu flicked his fingers and the candles burned higher, lighting up the Hall more. Soobin saw the banner hung above them as the Evers stood behind him.

"Don't listen to him!" Taehyun screamed, "It's a trick!"

"It's okay, _love_. You can tell him." Beomgyu cooed at Taehyun and turned to Soobin, "Oh I forgot. He wanted to surprise you with a sword on your throat."

Soobin's eyes widen and he looked at Taehyun.

"It's not true!" He defended, turning to the Nevers, "Jungkook, Bangchan, tell them the truth!"

But Jungkook, Bangchan, and the rest of the Nevers were glaring at the Good army, wielding deadly weapons for a massacre. Jungkook glanced at Taehyun and stood firmly, not saying a word.

Taehyun saw the light in his prince's eyes dim, as the armed Evers turned their weapons from Beomgyu to him.

"No! Wait!" He broke away and clung to Soobin's arm, "You have to believe me. I'm on your side!"

"But how is it that your prince locked you in one tower . . . and here you are in another?" Beomgyu says, voice laced with amusement.

Taehyun felt Soobin's arm harden and he looked up to meet his prince's stern face, "Well?"

"I came to help! I climbed down-"

"You climbed down _that_ tower?" Beomgyu mocked.

Soobin looked at the sky-high towers of Good.

"T-there were a-arrows- I swear!"

"Darling, why are you being bashful?" Beomgyu said, "Didn't you come up with every step? The pranks on Good, your little meeting in the Woods, the Circus talent . . . Wasn't it all part of your master plan to show that you're Good? Oh, and I actually love that beautiful smile. But aside from that, everything was _black magic_."

Taehyun couldn't breathe and his mind blanked out.

Beomgyu saw the doubt in Soobin's eyes as the prince held Taehyun.

"I'm his _best friend_ , Soobin. I know him more than anyone. I know how his mind works." Beomgyu shrugs, before glaring at Taehyun. "Besides, only the best Evil can disguise as Good. Taehyun's even better at it than me."

Soobin flushed with disbelief and pulled away from Taehyun.

"Evers wouldn't question my authority." Soobin mumbled.

"Binnie-" Taehyun begged.

"My true love wouldn't doubt me."

"Can't you see what he's doing to us-"

"I _knew_ you were a witch." Soobin said, voice cracking. "I knew it all along."

"Don't you trust me?" Taehyun sobbed.

"My mother asked my father the same question. But I won't make his mistake." The prince said.

Soobin's eyes darted to Excalibur at the floor between them. The prince lunged for it but Taehyun grabbed the sword first and thrust it out. Evers pulled out their weapons in shock.

"See?" Beomgyu clicked his tongue, "A sword to your throat."

Taehyun glanced at him, then at Soobin that was staring at his own sword in his face.

He immediately dropped it. "I was just- I didn't mean to-"

Soobin's face went cold.

"Prepare to attack!"

Taehyun tensed up, "Soobin, just listen to me!"

Soobin ignored him and grabbed Mingi's bow. "I'm worse than my father." He looked up, eyes glistening with unshed tears, "You know why, Taehyun?" He wiped his eyes with his free hand, "Because I still love you."

He held on an arrow and aimed it at Taehyun's heart.

" _No!_ " Taehyun screamed-

" _Fire!_ "

Evers launched stones, darts, and arrows at the defenseless Nevers as Soobin unleashed his arrow for Taehyun.

Beomgyu snapped his lit finger just as the arrow spear his chest and the weapons all turned into daisies and floated to the ground.

Cowering Nevers looked up, stunned to be alive. Taehyun slowly turned to his friend.

" _Plant Charms_. Learned that from my favorite prince." Beomgyu said, sending a wink towards Taehyun, and the latter crumbled to the ground and heaved heavy breaths.

Soobin glanced between them, dread clawing his stomach and blood leaving his face as he watched Beomgyu smile devilishly.

"You still can't figure out Good from Evil after those challenges, Binnie?"

"No!" Soobin fell to his knees, and grabbed Taehyun in his arms but the other just pushed him away.

"Now _that's_ an ending." Beomgyu marveled, clapping his bony hands slowly, "Prince tries to kill his true love." He picked up the daisy meant for Taehyun's heart and gave it a sniff, "Luckily Evil's here to save the day." His rotting lips curved into a smile.

From the floor, Soobin gazed up at him; heartbroken and lost.

"Which gives us a question . . . 

What happens when _Evil becomes Good_?"

This time, when he smiled, Soobin saw gleaming white teeth. And he backed up in shock.

In front of their eyes, Beomgyu's warts magically disappear, the cracks and wrinkles on his skin smoothed until his creamy peach skin glowed with youth. His black hair lightened back to bright blonde. Taehyun looked up to see Beomgyu's dark red eyes return to its old brown color, his bony body gaining firm muscles, rotting lips turn to plump pink; until the grand villain stood over him in his light blue shirt and dark pants, looking more dashing and handsome than before.

"Leave now-" Taehyun warned, but the Evers were all paralyzed and staring past Beomgyu.

Tensing, Taehyun turned to look.

Jungkook looked back at him, black hair turning magenta and now wearing a black laced shirt; the tattoo on his arm restoring to bright red under the see-through fabric. Next to him, San's gray hair turned black with highlights on the left bangs, red eyes turning dark blue, and old tunic melting into a black suit; scars vanishing from his face. And Bangchan's dark brown hair becoming lighter as his whitened eye glowed with color and the huge scar dissipated from his face. Hongjoong's ears turned normal and his jaw more prominent. Green-Skinned touched her smooth ivory skin, One-Eyed ran fingers over her now two eyes . . . until transformed villains gaped at each other in Good's uniforms.

Beomgyu grinned down at Taehyun, "I told you Evil can be beautiful."

Taehyun stared at him, lost for words.

"Retreat!" Soobin yelled, backing into his army.

"You think we're finished already Binnie?" Beomgyu thundered, "You and your army invaded a Ball. You and your army attacked a defenseless school. You and your army tried to kill a room of poor students who were only trying to enjoy the happiest night of our lives. Which gives us another question . . . "

"Retreat now!" Soobin cried-

"What happens when _Good becomes Evil_?" 


	18. Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I guess this is 'The End'?"

Screams exploded behind Soobin.

Taehyun swiveled to see Hueningkai scream with pain as horns magically grew on his head, then his hair went white, face went wrinkly, until his white shirt turned black and hung over his now bony figure.

Behind the prince, all the Ever's dresses and suits slowly rotted into Evil's black tunics. Mingi grew hair all over his body and his hand sharpened to claws, Jisung's back hunched with a crack, Jisoo wept as her skin went green. The Evers who attacked the villains all turned ugly, one by one, except for Taehyun . . . until at last, Beomgyu leered at Soobin, wrinkly, paled, and hideously scarred, standing in front of his army of villains.

"All hail the Prince!" Beomgyu proclaimed, and let out a loud cackle.

Beautiful Nevers pointed at ugly Evers and joined him in triumphant laughter, marking the end of the losing streak.

Heaving breaths, Taehyun grabbed a fallen sword and stood, raising it to point at Beomgyu, "Stop it! Your war is with me, Beomgyu. Let them go in peace!"

"Feel free! The doors are wide open." Beomgyu smiled.

The humiliated Evers ran for the doors, but Soobin blocked their way.

"Please Binnie, we have to end this war." Taehyun pleaded.

"I can't leave you." The prince voiced.

Taehyun looked into his sad, lost eyes. "You have to trust me this time."

Soobin stared back at his prince's eyes and he knew that he had to listen, he had to trust him. "Retreat now!" he yelled to his school.

The monstrous Evers dashed for the doors, but the doors slammed in their faces.

"How _touching_." Beomgyu sighed, "An ultimate sacrifice for his stupid classmates. You should've just paid more attention to your _rules_."

Trembling, Soobin and his army turned.

"The Evil _attack_ , the Good _defend_." Beomgyu smirked, "Since _you've_ attacked, then it's _our_ turn to defend."

Beomgyu let out a loud piercing whistle that sent students covering their ears. Through the sound, Taehyun was able to hear grunts from the outside, becoming louder, and his eyes bulged with recognition.

"RUN!" He screamed-

The doors burst open and three tall bundles of fabric smashed into the paralyzed army, waving their long arms to fling the Evers to the walls, sending them down the stairs. The Everboys proceeded to draw their swords when the dolls hit them and they fell on the floor.

"Finally, my talent's been noticed." San grumbled next to Bangchan. A dart whizzed between them and they turned to see Soobin and the ugly Evers frantically grab weapons.

"Fire!" Soobin commanded.

The two Nevers ducked down from a wave of arrows and started to fight back with curses, sending the schools in a weapon-to-spell combat.

Darts and stones flew, swords deflected lightning, and fingers on both sides lit up with colors. Hyunjin managed to slice one of the doll's legs when it ran after Taehyun, who hid behind a pillar to clear his head for a plan.

Yet when he got to the pillar, he saw hideous Hueningkai, Jisung, and some Evergirls cowering beside him.

"You can turn arrows to flowers too, right?" Hueningkai said, teary-eyed, "Can you turn us pretty again?"

Taehyun ignored him and peeked out into the carnage. As colored spells darted left and right, leaving stunned bodies on the floor, Taehyun's eyes searched for Beomgyu but he only saw the two other huge dolls, bearing daggers as they cornered Soobin and his mates against the window.

He whipped to the Evers hiding behind him, "We have to help them!"

"What's the point!" Jisoo wept.

"Look at us!" Jennie said.

"We're ugly!" Jisung added.

"We have nothing to fight for." Hueningkai cried.

"You have Good to fight for! It doesn't matter how you look!" Taehyun scolded.

"That's easy for you to say because you're still pretty." Hueningkai said.

"Look, our towers are Valor and Honor, not Fair and Lovely. If you want to continue being dumb like this, then suit yourselves, cowards." Taehyun scowled, before he ran from the pillar and onto the surging battle, hurrying to save the Everboys from the possessed dolls.

Something slammed into Taehyun and flung him into a wall. Dazed, he looked up and saw the other doll, it's edges were cut as it stood on all-fours. A creepy grin was permanently etched on its face and its hollow eyes stared directly at him as it lunged to charge for him again. Taehyun thought of a spell too late-

Hueningkai jumped in front of the doll and thrust out his hand. Magical rain then bursted from the ceiling and soaked the floor, sending the doll to slip towards the attacking Nevers.

"Another thing about Good," Hueningkai smiled at Taehyun, Jisung and the other Evergirls by their sides, "We have each other."

The Evers started to find their courage to fight back, as they charged for the toppled Nevers. Mingi used his claws to slash the doll into pieces as Soobin sliced the other in half, taking out the doll's 'heart' and crushing it on the floor.

The Evers bound the Nevers with the black tunics and belts. And they cheered, forgetting one little witch.

Soobin stood on one side after he tied Jungkook's hands behind his back. He was wiping the sweat from his forehead when a sharp glint of a sword appeared behind him and striked his back-

It clashed on metal instead.

Soobin twirled in horror and was met by a sight of Taehyun holding a sword as he blocks Beomgyu's attack.

"Are you becoming a coward, Gyu? Attacking from behind? It's so not you." Taehyun mocked, face stern.

" _He_ took the happy ending that both of us could've had, Tae. Now, if I can't have _my_ happy ending, then you two shouldn't." Beomgyu growled.

"Oh yeah? Well you're severely outnumbered. I'd say you should just surrender." Soobin spoke, gripping on his own sword.

Beomgyu looked around and saw Evers aiming their weapons at him as Nevers were bound and tied on the floor. Then he saw the wet patches on the floor.

His eyes glinted mischievously, "You have a bad habit of underestimating me, Binnie."

Beomgyu smirked and he thrust his hand out. Immediately the rain puddles on the floor rose, knocking both armies off their feet. The students tried hard to keep their heads above the water, but it rose higher until it reached the ceiling and they were all about to drown.

Cheeks puffed and faces turning blue, they spun to Beomgyu, who only smiled at them deviously as he controlled the current of the water to push the students against the windows, rendering them immobile. Taehyun quickly swam towards the other and tackled him under water, making Beomgyu lose his control as the Evers and Nevers started to bash the windows.

Taehyun kicked his legs and his hands made its way to latch on Beomgyu's neck, forcing the latter's remaining air out of his mouth as he tried fighting the other back. But Taehyun managed to pin Beomgyu against one of the pillars in the Hall by his throat.

Beomgyu struggled against the other's grip and his hands were blindly reaching for the other. He was running out of air, and Taehyun was able to snap out of his impulse when he saw the other's eyes roll back, the last breath of air leaving his mouth.

A rush of panic came over his system, but before he could grab Beomgyu again, Soobin pulled him away by the waist just in time for the students to shatter the windows. The flood blasting through and almost two hundred students cascaded out of the tower into the freezing midnight air, and then plunging to the moat below.

Soobin was able to grab onto a pillar before the water rushed out, and he and Taehyun crashed onto the wet floor and gasped for air. They looked around and found Beomgyu left behind, laying motionless on the flooded stone.

Taehyun's eyes widen because he knew it was his doing. He quickly stood up and ran to the Never, but Soobin was fast enough to prevent him.

"Stay back. It could be a trick."

They made eye contact before Soobin cautiously moved towards the villain, grabbing his sword. He moved to a spot where he could see Beomgyu's face, seeing that his eyes were closed, mouth slightly agape, and chest still.

"He's not breathing." He informs Taehyun.

Soobin saw the slight tremble in Taehyun's hands and the quivering of his lips. Sighing, he nudged the Never's shoulder with his sword.

There was no movement.

Silence enveloped them.

"I guess this is 'The End'?" Soobin mumbled, gazing at Taehyun.

Taehyun was staring at his prince, heart pounding in his chest.

_The End_.

They defeated the witch in _their_ story.

The witch . . . his friend . . .

Taehyun didn't know what to feel.

But as he stared at his prince's scarred and wrinkly face, he knew he would be okay. Soobin's eyes sparkled with relief and he walked towards his true love.

But a hand shot up and pulled his bony leg.

Soobin stumbled to the floor, his sword falling from his grip.

The prince looked up and saw Beomgyu glaring down at him, eyes back to its dark red color, and his own sword pointed at him.

"You think you can get rid of me that easily?"

~

Down in the moat below, the students of both schools resumed war, faces and clothes covered with sludge.

As they couldn't see each other from the weak light of dawn, they have been fighting the wrong opponents. Jungkook shoved San into slime, thinking he's an Ever. Hueningkai punched Jisung in the gut, thinking he's a Never. 

With the rules broken so rampantly, the students began to change from pink to black, black to blue, ugly to beautiful, and beautiful to ugly. The exchange went on back and forth, growing faster by the minute. Until no one had the faintest idea who was Good and who was Evil.

~

Back in the tower, Beomgyu's sword clashes with Taehyun's. The sound of metal hisses through the air. Taehyun had lunged to block Beomgyu's attack toward Soobin, and that ended up with their face-off.

Soobin stood up to help his prince, grabbing another sword as he charged for the villain. Beomgyu saw him and he raised his leg to kick Taehyun's middle, sending him crashing on his back. He raised his sword to block Soobin's attack, then immediately jerking it from the contact and in a quick slash, Beomgyu managed to scratch Soobin's thigh.

"No!" Taehyun yelled from where he landed on the floor.

Soobin gasped in shock as crimson blood flowed from the gash in his leg.

"I should've done this back in the Clearing." Beomgyu growled, circling the hand holding the sword. "If I only knew that you'd ruin _everything_."

"We can't choose what our hearts desire, Beomgyu! You should get that in your head. You were always Evil." Soobin managed to yell back as he staggered on one knee.

Beomgyu's blood boil at what the prince said, simply because it was true. He was Evil, and yet everything he wanted was in Good. But then he let himself feel, feeling his heart throb against his ribs in a familiar rhythm. And so, for another time, he trusted what his heart yearned for.

_To get rid of his Nemesis and his prince._

The witch raised Excalibur, aiming it for its owner. But he froze.

Vines suddenly held his feet and arms and before he knew it, he was bound on the floor. He looked at Taehyun and saw his finger glowing gold.

"This won't work on me Hyunnie." Beomgyu deadpanned.

Taehyun quickly ran to Soobin, which also had a vine wrapped tightly on his wound. He intertwined their hands and dashed out of the Evil Hall.

"Quick, I bought us some time." Taehyun said as the two of them ran.

"You should've finished him, Taehyun." Soobin muttered, "He'll continue to hunt us."

Taehyun didn't respond as they sprinted down the halls. Then he heard footsteps from behind them and he knew Beomgyu had already escaped. 

The two boys turned to the corner and then heard more footsteps coming at them. Eyes widening, they ran back and went to a different hallway, but the sounds hadn't left their ears as it seem to be everywhere they go. Taehyun and Soobin heaved for air as they held their knees, looking at their surroundings. Footsteps still ringing across the halls.

"What now?" Soobin exhaled.

Before Taehyun could answer, a shadow was casted on the wall infront of them. Beomgyu was nearing.

Panicking, Taehyun pulled Soobin to hide behind a statue.

The two of them went silent as they watch Beomgyu stride into the hallway, Excalibur in hand.

"Taehyunnie." Beomgyu calls, voice soft and sweet, yet it only send shivers down Taehyun's spine.

"Come out little princes." He continued to muse, steps eerily slowing down as he reached the lone statue.

Taehyun felt his heart stop when he noticed the footsteps ceased in front of the statue they're hiding behind. His breath hitched in his lungs, but then he felt a warm sensation over his hand, and he looked to his side.

His eyes met with Soobin's. Despite the ugly face greeting him, he could still see his prince underneath it. The Goodness oozing just from his presence. That same sparkly black eyes that lit up his once darkened heart, gazing at him fondly as if he was worth it; that he would always be worth it no matter what the circumstances would be. And it gave Taehyun the courage to fight.

When he heard another footstep, he jumped out of his hiding place and slapped the villain's hand hard, causing for the sword to flung out of the other's grasp. Taehyun immediately lurched to grab it and he swiveled, only to find Soobin already pinning Beomgyu against the wall, an arm pressed against the villain's throat.

Taehyun thought that they make a perfect team as he moved towards them, at same time, gripping the sword tighter.

"Are you forgetting that we're in a fairy tale, Beomgyu?" He asked, Beomgyu's gaze went to him, "In the end, it's _Good_ who always win."

"So it does." Beomgyu rasped, gaze drifting somewhere behind them.

Taehyun and Soobin turned and saw what Beomgyu was looking at: the lone tower resting between the two schools. 

A wicked smile crept across Beomgyu's face, "Unless I write the ending _myself_."

Beomgyu stabbed his glowing finger and the surroundings turned dark. The two Evers was caught off guard when a force suddenly pushed them hard. Taehyun flicked his glowing finger and the hall immediately lit up, just in time to see Beomgyu jump out of the open window.

Taehyun ran to the glass and saw Beomgyu mogrify into a raven and flew towards the School Master's tower.

"I have to stop him." Taehyun said, climbing onto the window but Soobin held him back.

"Can you unmogrify and still have clothes on? I don't think you'd want to be naked in there."

Taehyun mumbled a curse under his breath, still having no idea on how Beomgyu manages to do it.

"I'll think of something. You should go and help the others outside."

Without waiting for the prince's response, Taehyun sprinted towards the Halfway Bridge.

~

Beomgyu landed on the only window of the tower, before he turned back into human, fully-clothed. He gritted his teeth as he looked around the stone chamber.

_Good always wins._

His Nemesis was right. As long as the School Master lived, as long as the Storian was in his _Good_ hands, then he would never achieve vengeance. The Storian would still find a way to make Evil lose, no matter how powerful he can become.

There was only one way to ruin Taehyun's happy ending, and for him to have his.

And it's to destroy both pen and its protector.

Beomgyu scowled when he saw red-flamed candles lining up the edge of the bookcases and red rose petals litter the floor. A faint strum of a harp was playing a tender song.

_A wedding. Just great._

He rolled his eyes.

_I can't believe Good can be so pathetic._

His eyes drifted to the Storian, hovering unguarded over his and Taehyun's fairy-tale book on the stone table. As he neared, the pen's script turn bright red against the steel, and he was dazed. With shallow breath, he reached to seize it, but the pen lurched and pricked his finger. Beomgyu withdrew his hand in shock.

A single drop of his blood dripped down the Storian, filling the curls of the engraved script until it reached the nib. Alive to its new ink, the pen burned hot red and plunged to the book. He watched as the pages flipped furiously, his whole fairy tale unfolded before his eyes in a series of magnificent paintings and flashes of words: seeing Soobin at the Welcoming, sitting with Taehyun at lunch, glaring at his prince in the Trial, fighting with his friend at the balcony, witnessing Soobin propose to Taehyun, luring Good's army to war, even transforming into a raven to fly to this very tower. Until the Storian found a fresh page and spilled blood into outlines of a drawing. Rich color magically filled in the painting, and Beomgyu saw himself there; standing in this tower in his blue shirt. 

But he wasn't alone.

His painted self was gazing into the eyes of a handsome stranger, tall, lean, in the prime of youth and beauty.

Beomgyu ran his finger over the face on the page . . . twinkling gray eyes, skin like marble, grayish blue hair . . . 

He wasn't a stranger.

In fact, Beomgyu had dreamt of him on his last night in Ttukseom. The lover he had picked from a hundred others, standing over a crowd of people celebrating their union. The one who felt like Ever After.

"I've waited all these years." Said a warm voice.

Beomgyu turned to see the masked School Master glide towards him from across the chamber, rusted crown on top of his head of grayish blue hair. His body slowly straightened from the hunching, and he stood tall in front of Beomgyu.

Then he took his mask off, revealing cat-like eyes, perfect brows, and soft skin.

Beomgyu's breath hitch.

He was the prince from the painting he just saw.

He was the prince from his dream.

"But you're- you're young- I thought you're old-" Beomgyu stuttered.

"This was all a test Beomgyu." The School Master said, "A test to find my true love."

" _Your_ true love? Me?" Beomgyu creased his eyebrows, pointing to himself, "But how is that possible when you're Good and I'm Evil?"

"We'll start there then. But first, let me introduce myself."

The School Master smiled, reaching out his cold fingers to touch Beomgyu's cheek. Beomgyu felt shivers ran down his spine.

"My name is Yeonjun." He said, "And I'm your true love."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol it's not 'the end' yet, the summary was just really misleading hhh
> 
> anywayyy after eighteen long chapters, i finally introduced yeonjun properly! (though he was actually there from the start lol but if anyone hadn't picked up the dozens of clues yet, yes, the school master is yeonjun)
> 
> and i'm apologizing in advance for the next chapter. why? find out the next time i update! (which is probably next week)
> 
> thank you so much for reading this book until now. it means a lot to me! i hope everyone of u will be safe and healthy esp in these trying times. may your days be only filled with happiness <3 love lots!


	19. Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I love you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw // blood and death

Taehyun arrived at the midpoint of the Halfway Bridge, and he looked up to scan the lone tower. He had no other choice but to climb, as giving up was not an option for it was _his_ happy ending on the line.

He held on tightly to the bow in his hand, then grabbed an arrow. Remembering the lessons his old friend had told him during their lunches, he fixed his posture and pulled the bowstring to aim for the tower's bricks, exhaling before he released the string and the arrow flew and plunged into the crevices of stone. He shot more arrows haphazardly, until he could make out something akin to a foot-ladder, quite similar to what Beomgyu did hours prior.

Taehyun stood on the Bridge's thick railing, peeking down at the bay way below his feet. His heart hammered with fear, but he shook it off to welcome a wave of adrenaline. He fixed his eyes on the arrows lining the tower, a good few meters away from where he stood.

Taking a deep breath, he lunged into a scissors-kick jump and crashed onto stone wall, barely managing to grab onto the arrow. He winced at the impact, but he held on, pulling himself up as he climbed.

A squawk was heard from the dark castle, and before Taehyun could look back, there was something pecking the top of his head. Taehyun swatted the bony parrot away from him, but it only swoops back, pecking and pulling on his clothes.

Taehyun grabbed onto the next shaft when Toto tackled his leg, causing for his step to slip and the shaft to break. He tumbled on the side of the tower, reaching for the nearest arrow when he saw the parrot flying towards him in an insane speed.

But the bird suddenly stiffened in mid-air and fell from the sky into dark waters below. 

Taehyun turned and saw Jungkook's violet fingerglow dim in his direction, his body was bound by chains in deep sludge. In the early dawn light, he could see Jungkook's face, filled with regret for failing to stop this war from occurring, and for ignoring the chance for Taehyun to end it. Around the tattooed boy, the Evers had took control of the battle as the Nevers struggle on their binds, appearances restoring to their original ugliness.

A small crack was heard and Taehyun looked up to see the arrow splinter under his hand. He reached for the nearest shaft again but the arrow broke-

And froze to hard ice.

Taehyun gripped on it tighter as he looked back, seeing San's distant green fingerglow pointed at the frozen arrow.

Then above his head, the next silver brick turned dark brown and the cherry-red haired immediately smelled rich sugar. He stretched his hand up and dug right into taut chocolate. Then pulled himself up before glancing back on the bay, where Bangchan's blue light glowed proudly. 

As the next bricks above turned chocolate, Taehyun continued to climb, a smile resting on his face at the thought of the witches changing sides.

~

"I was always there. Every step of the way." Yeonjun said, cold and beautiful face basking in the first rays of the rising sun. "Leading Taehyun to you on the night I kidnapped you. Ensuring you didn't fail in your classes, even if you intentionally did. Opening the doors for you at the Circus. Giving you a riddle whose answer would bring you to me." His cold fingers caress Beomgyu's cheek.

Beomgyu's eyes widen, "You were interfering with our fairy tale." He mumbled, taking a step back as everything seemed to sink in. "That night on the balcony . . . it wasn't true, right? Taehyun wasn't planning to take me away from Soobin. Taehyun wasn't controlling me like you said. But you did something to me, you provoked me and manipulated me into thinking that, into becoming _this_."

"I was never manipulating you, it was always part of who you are. I was just opening your eyes to see it." The School Master smiled at him, "Like I told you, you know what your heart yearns for."

Beomgyu pressed his lips in a thin line, feeling his heart beat in that familiar rhythm, a heart that's yearning for the prince he would never have, for the friend he wanted to kill, for the ending villains never attain after a hundred years.

"Your heart yearns for _me_. That's why I interfered in your fairy tale . . . because I knew how it must end."

"But that means . . . you're Evil?"

A few moments of silence went by.

"I cared for my brother dearly." Yeonjun said tensely as he glance at the schools' raging war, "Our bond dominated our opposing souls. Which is why the Storian was entrusted to us for eternity. For as long as we protected each other, we would stay immortal and beautiful; Good and Evil in perfect balance. Each as worthy and powerful as the other." His gray eyes drifted to Beomgyu, "But Evil was always meant to be alone."

"So you _killed_ your own brother?" Beomgyu asked, aghast.

"Like you tried to kill your dearest friend and beloved prince."

"But why does Good achieve victory in every tale if the protector is Evil?"

"I tried controlling the Storian, but to no avail." The School Master traced his finger on the symbols of the pen, "Because there is something greater than the purest Evil, Beomgyu. Something you and I cannot have."

Beomgyu understood, and he turned away in defeat. Fight cooling to grief.

"Love." He said softly.

Yeonjun smiled at the answer, "The reason why Good wins every story. They fight for each other, while we can only fight for ourselves.

"Which is why I searched for something stronger, something that would give Evil a chance. I hunted every seer in the Woods until one gave me my answer. One seer who told me that what I needed comes from _beyond_ our world. I waited and searched all these years, at the same time keeping the balance intact as my body and hope weakened . . .

"Until you came. At last. The one who would tip the balance forever. The missing piece that would complete the equation of something more powerful than Good's Love."

Yeonjun stared at Beomgyu, examining his face as the former's hand snake around his waist, pulling him closer.

" _Evil's_ love."

Beomgyu breath was caught in his throat.

"Namjoon knew you would come. A heart as dark as mine. Someone Evil whose beauty could restore my own." He pulled him even closer, chests touching, "If we unite to seal the bond of Evil, if we marry for the purpose of hurting, destroying, punishing . . . then finally, we would have something to fight for." Yeonjun leaned in Beomgyu's ear, the latter feeling the soft graze of lips, " _Never_ After."

Looking up at him, Beomgyu finally understood. Yeonjun had his same malevolence, same pain raging in his eyes. Long before he had met Soobin, his soul had known its true match. Not a shining knight fighting for Good; in fact, not Good at all. Someone his soul had already chosen, long before he even knew it.

As Beomgyu felt the other's pounding heart against his chest from their proximity, a heart beating in the same melody as his, he relished on the familiar and comforting feeling.

All these years of trying to be someone else. All those mistakes and betrayals. All those pain and nightmares, at last, he had found his home.

"A _kiss_." The School Master whispered, "A kiss for Never After."

Tears welled in Beomgyu's eyes. After everything, he would have his happy ending.

Yeonjun put his hand on the other's nape, leaning in for their fairy-tale kiss as Beomgyu gazed up at the prince of his dreams.

But the School Master's face was now cracking.

Dead flesh peeled through his luminous skin. Behind him, the falling roses dried out and the candles lit up hellish shadows. Outside, the dawn sky fogged infernal green and the Good castle blackened to stone. As the School Master's decaying lips touched his, Beomgyu felt his vision turn red, his veins burn acid, and his body rot to match Yeonjun's. Skin rotting, Beomgyu held his prince's eyes, begging to feel love; the love that story books promised him, the love that would last an eternity . . . 

But there was nothing . . .

And all he could feel was hate.

Devoured by a kiss, Beomgyu realized that he would never find love in this life, or in the next. He was Evil. Like Soobin said, he was always Evil. And being so, he would never feel happiness or peace. His heart shattered with sadness, and he gave in to the darkness of reality.

Only to hear a dying echo, somewhere within the depths of his soul, perhaps somewhere even deeper.

_"It doesn't matter what we are_." Said his professor in that ice chamber.

_"It's what we do."_

A surge of epiphany coursed through him and Beomgyu pushed the School Master away. The other crashed onto the stone table, sending the Storian and the story book smashing into the wall. He looked over the open page and saw his half-rotted face, split cleanly from forehead to chin. Breathless, he ran for the window and looked out.

Through the eerie green fog, he saw the far shore. The two sides now gone as the sludge pits overflowed with blackened bodies, students punching anyone in sight, slamming faces into the dirty water, or clawing for mercy. He stared at the war he started, a war fighting for nothing at all. 

"What have I done?" He exhaled.

He looked over his shoulder to see the School Master stir on the floor.

"I don't want to be Evil!" He yelled, clenching his fists.

Yeonjun looked at him with his red-rimmed eyes, skin shriveling around his thin smile.

"But you can _never_ be Good, Beomgyu. That's why you're _mine_."

Slowly, Yeonjun stood and stepped towards him, the smile widening on his face. Beomgyu's eyes widen as he stood paralyzed, clearly Yeonjun's doing.

Beomgyu swallowed the lump in his throat as he watch Yeonjun reach his rotting hands to grab him-

Then from behind, soft, warm arms suddenly wrapped around his figure, the gentleness felt like an angel's.

"Beomgyu would _never_ be yours." Taehyun hissed at the School Master as he pulled Beomgyu out into the night sky.

"Hold your breath!" Taehyun yelled as they fell.

Embracing each other tightly, the two boys plunged on the cold water below. The glacial lake robbing their lungs of air and numbing every inch of their skin, but they didn't let go. They bobbed their heads above the water and saw the black shadow ripping straight for them. Appalled, Taehyun thrust out his glowing finger and a giant wave rose, drifting them away from the School Master and towards Evil's barren shore.

Taehyun rose to his knees in the moat as he hears the screams of war around him; rabid, slime-drenched students beating each other like beasts.

Then in the distance, a body rose from the sludge.

"Beomgyu?" He croaked.

The slime shed off its figure and Taehyun rushed to get to the banks. He looked behind him to see the old, decayed School Master calmly make his way towards him, the Storian in his hand. He crawled to move forward but the sludge is sinking him like quicksand. He turned again to see the School Master gliding through the moat as if it was nothing, unnoticed by his fighting students. Taehyun pulled himself to the dead grass and jumped to his feet to run-

Yeonjun stood in front of him, flesh crumbling off his skull.

"I expected more from you Taehyun, especially being a Reader." He said, "I'm pretty sure you know what happens to people who stand in the way of _love_."

Taehyun glared at him, fire burning in his heart. He had never felt such strong desire to protect someone. "You'll never have Beomgyu. As long as I breathe, you'll never have him."

Yeonjun's gray eyes filled with blood.

"And so it is written."

He raised the Storian like a dagger and hurled it towards Taehyun with a scream.

Paralyzed by a force, Taehyun closed his eyes.

A body collided with him and pushed him to the ground.

Taehyun's eyes shot open.

Only to see Beomgyu glaring at the School Master, the Storian speared through his heart. He was panting heavy breaths as blood drips from his mouth, before his knees went limp and he falls on the ground with a thud.

" _No!_ " Taehyun and Yeonjun screamed in chorus.

The war around them ceased.

Bloodied students turned in stunned silence to see their rotted, malevolent leader, standing frozen over the body of the witch who saved a prince's life. A body of one their own.

Evers' and Nevers' angry faces melted to terror and shame, for they had betrayed each other and surrendered the balance that they were entrusted to protect, all for their foolish and childish vengeance. But when their eyes found the School Master, their young faces hardened with purpose.

Then all at once, their uniforms glowed and silver swan crests appeared, glowing above their hearts. The swan crests were always there, hidden by magic as it signifies the students' place in the school. It only appears whenever a student was robbed of their life within the school grounds, a remembrance of the ultimate protection granted over them.

Instantly, the birds ripped free from the uniforms and blasted into the early sky, merging into a glittering silhouette.

Yeonjun's face drained of blood as he looked up at the luminous ghost, the familiar face of grayish blue hair, soft cheeks and skin, and warm gray eyes.

"You're a spirit _brother_ ," He scowled, "You have no power without a body."

"Yet." A voice said.

Yeonjun turned to see Professor Namjoon limp from the Woods and through the school gates. He was bloodied by thorns as he trembled, before he looked at the ghost in the sky.

"If you may please."

From the sky, the Good brother's spirit dove and smashed into Namjoon's willing body.

Slowly, his eyes opened. Once glassy, now sparkling gray.

The School Master backed up in surprise as the skin of Namjoon's arms softened to white feathers. Terrified, Yeonjun turned into a shadow and fled across dead grass towards the lake, but Namjoon flew into the air after him, the human arms were now giant white swan wings. He swerved down and snatched the shadow in his beak, and with a piercing bird's screech, he tore the shadow apart, raining black feathers over the battleground. 

The School Master was gone.

From the sky, Namjoon looked down at Beomgyu in Taehyun's arms. Tears welled in his eyes at the first and last thing he would ever see. With his sacrifice done, he dissipated to gold dust and disappeared forever.

The faculty stormed out of the castles, finally freed from the School Master's curse. Professor Moon stopped short first, as the others crowded behind her. Lady Wheein's lips quivered as Byulyi held her hand. Beside them, Professor Seokjin, Professor Hyejin, Professor Yoongi, Princess Yongsun, Taehyung, and Jimin all had the same scared, powerless faces. All bowed their heads in mourning, knowing that they too were late for the mercy of magic.

In front of them, the students gathered around Beomgyu, dying in Taehyun's arms as the latter desperately tried to prevent the flow of crimson liquid from the wound. The latter's face a mess of tears.

Soobin kneeled beside him, "Let me help." He said, holding Beomgyu in his arms.

"No-" Beomgyu croaked, "Taehyun."

Soobin only nodded and left him in his prince's arms.

Taehyun pulled Beomgyu to his chest, hands soaked with the other's blood. "You're safe now, Gyu." He said softly.

"I don't want- to be Evil-" Beomgyu panted, wincing at the pain in his chest, the pain not from the wound.

"Ssh. You're not Evil, Beomie." Taehyun whispered, tears flowing down his cheeks as he caresses the other's. "You're human, and it's okay."

Beomgyu managed a weak smile as tears started to flow from his own eyes, "I'm human- only if I- have you."

"You're okay, Gyu. We'll be okay. I'm here." Taehyun whispered.

"I'm sorry- Tae-" Beomgyu choked, gasping for air as his eyes fluttered, threatening to close.

"Beomgyu! Beomgyu, please! No!" Taehyun sobbed. "Don't leave me, please . . . "

"Taehyun-" Beomgyu rasped, he gathered his remaining strength and looked straight into Taehyun's eyes as he exhaled his last breath.

" _I love you_."

His eyes slowly closed.

"No!" Taehyun screamed.

Icy wind blew over them and the blackened Good castle vanished behind dark fog.

"You idiot . . . "

Sobbing, trembling, Taehyun kissed Beomgyu's cold lips and placed his head over the other's silent heart, tears flowing uncontrollably as he wept.

Beside them, the bloody Storian dulled to gray, its work finally done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yes, there's only one chapter left.
> 
> and yes, this is why i apologized in the previous chapter's notes:
> 
> formally introducing jun in the previous chapter then killing him in the next.
> 
> and not only that, also namjoon . . . 
> 
> and beomgyu.
> 
> :D


	20. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What if . . .

The rain had gone, but a harsh autumn wind raked across the cemetery, lit by two torches over the gates. As he approached the grave, a handful of lavender flowers in his hand, his steps become heavier, his heart pounding in his ears. For some reason, he was nervous.

Taehyun kneeled beside the grave, pulling on the weeds that grew near it. He placed the flowers down in front of the headstone, but he didn't dare look at it.

He felt like he doesn't have the right to do so.

He stayed there for a while, letting the silence envelop his mind. Then he stood up, catching sight of a blue butterfly on the stone before turning to leave the graveyard.

~

Taehyun walked the usual way towards the lake, only this time he was alone. He settled on the grass as he looked out into the horizon, it was nearing sunset.

From afar, he hears the clinking of metal, like a sword in a sheath. He sees a flock of crows in the nearby farm, black like his hair. He felt the warmness of the sinking sun, like his strong arms and warm skin. The glow of the sun over the lake like the sparkle of his eyes whenever he looked at him.

Taehyun let out a sigh as he opened the story book that he brought. As he looked at the last page, a painting of a princess and a prince kissing at their wedding, he felt his heart sink.

_Ever After._

Was it supposed to feel like this?

He shook his head, attempting to get rid of his thoughts. He had what he wanted already. He glared at the prince in the painting, before he threw the book into the lake and it sank to the bottom.

A peaceful silence came over him, as he feels the cold breeze on his skin.

" _Hyunnie!_ "

Taehyun turned to the voice and he was engulfed in a hug. Warmth suddenly bloomed in his heart and all the heaviness dissipated almost immediately.

He smiled into the hug, before he pulled away. His eyes meeting dark brown orbs.

"What took you so long?"

The other rolled his eyes playfully.

"Oh you know, the usual. Everyone pulls me for an autograph or a interview of some sort. It's tiring, really."

The two of them giggled at that. Taehyun could relate anyway.

Ever since they got back in Ttukseom a few months ago, the townspeople have been appalled. For two hundred years, the School Master had kidnapped people from Ttukseom to his School for Good and Evil. But after so many taken, two boys had found their way back. Causing for the people to want to touch them, kiss them, even build statues for them as if they were gods sent to earth. (And to be honest, Beomgyu loved that idea.)

They fell in comfortable silence after that. Taehyun leaned on Beomgyu's shoulder as they watched the sun setting in front of them.

"I visited your mother earlier." Taehyun whispered, "Maybe you should too. Maybe it could make you feel better about all of this."

Beomgyu only hummed at that.

A gentle wave brushed against the banks where they sat as they heard the chirping of birds nearby, most likely flying back to shelter for the night. 

"Sometimes I think back to the time we were in school." Beomgyu mumbles.

"What about it?" Taehyun asks, yawning as he watch the sky slowly darken, stars coming into view.

"The way I acted towards Soobin, towards the other students, towards you . . . " Beomgyu said, releasing a soft sigh, "All those fights when we both wanted the _same_ thing. We both just wanted a happy ending, yet the division got into our heads.

"We shouldn't have thought that only one of us could have a Happy Ever After. Not when we could have it together. And I guess I kind of regret my behavior before that realization."

Taehyun ponders carefully about what his friend had said, "We all had rough patches along the way. I honestly regret my actions too. I guess I just let my emotions take over me instead of using my brain.

"But it isn't _our fairy tale_ for nothing, Gyu. Look where it got us. We're much stronger than before." Taehyun said softly.

"Our fairy tale . . ." Beomgyu whispered, a smile creeping on his face.

They went quiet again.

"You know Hyun, I still think about what you did. How you saved me." Beomgyu said softly, taking a hold of his friend's hand.

Taehyun hummed, informing the other that he was listening.

"I didn't want to end up like my mother, heartbroken and alone and . . . forgotten like she never existed." He squeezed Taehyun's hand as the latter shifted to look at him, "But she didn't have a friend like you. You, who gave up a prince, just to be with me. To think I could make someone happy like that . . ." Beomgyu turned to Taehyun, eyes misting with tears, "I don't deserve you, Taehyun. Not after everything I've done."

Taehyun didn't say anything, and instead, he put his hand on the other's cheek and wiped away the tears that fell.

"We're here already, aren't we? I chose you, and we got our happy ending." Taehyun's gut twisted uncomfortably at his own words yet he ignored it, "We'll be together forever now, Beomie. _I promise_."

Beomgyu nodded and smiled at him, Taehyun smiled back. The blond-haired boy stood up and dusted his pants before offering a hand to the red-haired.

"Come on. I'll walk you to your house."

Taehyun snorted as he accepted the hand and stood up, "I get it, you love me that much that you want to be with me longer."

Beomgyu laughed and hit the other's arm playfully, "Shut up. As if you want to be away from me." He paused, "Actually, maybe you should walk me home. I kind of want to dye my hair black."

"Why?"

"I look better with it."

~

Beomgyu entered his house with a light heart after Taehyun accompanied him back. He was happy, content even to be spending his Ever After with his best friend. But that feeling was gone immediately after he closed the front door.

"Hey son! How was your walk?" His father had ask.

Under normal circumstances, he would've answered politely. But the sight in front of him makes his eyes burn and heart clench with rage.

_How dare him._

His father stood in the kitchen, arms wrapped around a woman's frame as she chop ingredients for what seem to be dinner. A woman that's definitely not his late mother.

"Fine." He spat. Before his father could say anything again, Beomgyu spoke first, "I'm not eating dinner. Had a picnic with Hyunnie. I'll head to bed now."

"But-"

Beomgyu brisk-walked to his room and slammed the door in annoyance.

He sat on his bed and grabbed his head, gripping tightly on his blonde strands. He was feeling it again. The blaze in his heart that never seemed to cool off, the tingling sensation in his hands to hurt and punish those who he deem deserving. Then his vision flashed into a color of red and he diverted his attention onto one of the story books, an open page showing a villain sitting on a throne, a trail of blood lining the marble floors of the room.

_Nevermore_.

Beomgyu felt his heart pound loudly in his chest, ringing in his ears as he stared at the drawing.

_What if ._ . .

He immediately shook his head.

He looked at the painting again and tried to think of his happy ending. The red blood reminded him of the red of his hair. The throne reminded him of what the other gave up. The book reminded him of how their story ended.

And with the thoughts of Taehyun, his heart beat slowed and he managed to calm down.

Beomgyu picked the book up and shoved it under his bed, mentally noting to grab it tomorrow to throw it into fire, before he laid on his bed and slept.

A dream came.

Beomgyu crawled to the banks of Evil after Taehyun had summoned a giant wave. And he looked around at the war he initiated.

_I have to stop this war. I have to find the School Master._

His eyes drifted in his surroundings in hopes to find him, but what he saw was far worse.

Beomgyu immediately jumped to his feet, and ran to where Taehyun is.

He wasn't thinking of anything, acting only from his impulse and overwhelming instinct to protect his only friend. He only realized how reckless his action was once he sees the Storian plunged deep into his chest, blood gushing out. But as he falls onto the dirt, he felt relieved; his best friend was going to be okay now.

_"Someone always die at the end of a fairy tale."_ He remembered.

If it meant a happy ending for Taehyun, if it meant that Taehyun would be safe, even from him, then it was okay for Beomgyu.

As he lay on the ground, he felt dazed. All he could see was black feathers raining and Taehyun's face. All he could hear is the sound of Taehyun's frantic sobs. All he could feel is the pain in his chest and the comforting arms holding him, lulling him to sleep.

His vision had clouded with flashbacks of every memory he spent with Taehyun. From their walks to the sunset, to playing ball games, to their lunchtime tutorials, to the way that the other saved him in the tower, despite himself being there to destroy him. And Beomgyu had realized that Taehyun was all he needed; that Taehyun already made him the happiest person, while he was searching all the wrong places. 

Beomgyu realized that he couldn't live without Taehyun. Or if he could, then it wasn't living at all.

For Taehyun was his safe space. His sanctuary. His . . .

_True love_.

So when he felt the life almost drained out of him, he used his last breath to utter the words he had never realized he felt.

_"I love you_. _"_

And everything went black.

Beomgyu woke up in a puddle of tears at the memory. Wiping them away, he made a promise to himself that he certainly wouldn't break.

To keep Taehyun safe.

~

Taehyun was staring at the ceiling of his room, resting his head over scarred hands from Hobak's scratches. He sighed at that. Hobak has been very distant from him since he returned, hissing and scratching him whenever he tried to pet him. He glanced to the corner where the cat is curled up, trying to be far away from him as he could.

He frowned at the sight before closing his eyes and forcing himself to sleep.

And he dreamt.

Taehyun was holding the body, and he could hear sobs rise around him as the teachers took the students into their arms. He stayed there for awhile, head over Beomgyu's still chest, not wanting to leave. His shallow breaths grazing against a corpse.

His cheek was wet with Beomgyu's blood when he closed his eyes and whispered.

_"I love you too."_

Strained silence ticked by.

Until he heard the beating of a heart.

Taehyun jerked up in shock, eyes widening when he saw color returning to Beomgyu's lips, cold skin becoming warm, blood fading from his chest.

His cracked skin restored to its beautiful whole and with a shocked breath, he gasped and open his eyes, hazel brown clear.

"Beomgyu?" Taehyun whispered, rubbing his eyes.

"Taehyun!" Beomgyu beamed, smiling.

"But how . . ." Taehyun's eyes welled with tears again.

Beomgyu cupped his face and wiped the tears away, "I guess it's _true love's kiss_."

Sun exploded through the fog, coating the two castles in gold. The grass around it greened, and the fog vanished to reveal a clear blue sky. The Storian beside them blazed with new life and soared back to its tower. The students' black, pink, and blue uniforms all melted to the same silver color, removing the division once and for all.

The teachers and students ran towards the boys, stunned and relieved, but they suddenly retreated. They watched as Beomgyu and Taehyun started to shimmer, bodies turning translucent.

They looked at each other. Beomgyu grabbed Taehyun's hand with a smile.

"A prince and a witch . . . " Beomgyu mused.

" _Friends_." Taehyun breathed.

" _Best_ friends."

" _True love_."

Taehyun turned and saw Soobin, rushing towards them. Taehyun's eyes widen in surprise and he turned to Beomgyu, smiling at him fondly.

His prince lunged for him. " _Wait_ -"

Light slipped through the prince's fingers and they were gone.

Taehyun jolted awake from the dream. No, it was a memory. It was real enough for it not to be a dream for it was their last day at school. He looked out his window and saw the surroundings bright under the noon sun.

He was panting, sweating in his black shirt. And when he thought of his prince, he became breathless, his heart yearning for _him_.

A knock came from the door.

"Taehyun dear, Beomgyu is waiting for you." His mother had called.

But Taehyun doesn't hear her.

All he could think about was . . .

_What if there was a different ending?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you're confused: yes, taegyu are each other's true love. what about taebin? yes, they are true love too. what about beomjun? yes, they are true love as well. there are different forms of love, y'know? taegyu could love each other so much platonically that a romantic interest would be out of the picture. AND keep in mind that taehyun and beomgyu have opposing souls. despite what happened in the last chapters, taehyun will still be good, and beomgyu will still be evil. 
> 
> so yeah, this is the final chapter! yey!! after three months, i've finally finished this book.
> 
> thank you to everyone who read, gave kudos, and commented on this book. it really means a lot to me and it gave me motivation to continue. especially those who constantly wrote comments on every chapter i upload; y'all know who you are and i just really want to say thank you, from the bottom of my heart <3
> 
> regarding this ending, yes, it's kind of vague? and kind of an open-ending. but it closes their first adventure. if you're thinking that i'm hinting on a second book, we'll i most likely am. BUT i'm not going to start it yet, as i have a new fic idea in mind (and i hope you'll look forward to it too)
> 
> this book is inspired by soman chainani's series entitled "the school for good and evil". the world build is based from there and most of the important details like the towers, locations, and overall flow of the story. (which is why i view this book more like a novel adaptation) but pls don't misunderstood as i added my own little plot twists and major details as well ㅠㅠ for those who knows the story, i'm sure you've noticed some of the details i've left out, and some of the events that i added.
> 
> as for the next book, i'm still on the process of plotting. (fyi, in the next book, the school for good and evil becomes the school for boys and girls. and since i've only used boys as characters, it's hard to write a somewhat similar concept. but i'm working on it) so i guess, it wouldn't be uploaded yet for a period of time.
> 
> the next fic idea is actually a pirate!txt au, also with magic and stuff bcos i'm a sucker for fantasy genre hehe
> 
> anyway, thanks for joining me on this twisted fairy tale adventure! i hope everyone would stay safe and healthy and most of all, i hope you're happy spending your days <3 you are accepted, you are loved, you matter. lots of love and hugs from me to u (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤
> 
> -nicsy


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